Red Bull RB8 Renault

[gibells]

Although never confirmed, I saw Red Bulls biggest drop off when Mercedes got FIA to 'clarify' the rules during pre-season testing. I remember many journalist's comments saying like RB's engine note still sounding like it was blowing off throttle. Could it be they had to modify to suit the clarfication, and as such have lost what blowing they where hoping to achieve through the starter hole?

[kebab]

Although never confirmed, I saw Red Bulls biggest drop off when Mercedes got FIA to 'clarify' the rules during pre-season testing. I remember many journalist's comments saying like RB's engine note still sounding like it was blowing off throttle. Could it be they had to modify to suit the clarfication, and as such have lost what blowing they where hoping to achieve through the starter hole?

I was at entry of turn 7 in Sepang and it was clear that RB8 had different exhaust note compared to Lotus and Williams, let alone others. They still retain some blowing from the sound of it.

[myurr]

Although never confirmed, I saw Red Bulls biggest drop off when Mercedes got FIA to 'clarify' the rules during pre-season testing. I remember many journalist's comments saying like RB's engine note still sounding like it was blowing off throttle. Could it be they had to modify to suit the clarfication, and as such have lost what blowing they where hoping to achieve through the starter hole?

I was at entry of turn 7 in Sepang and it was clear that RB8 had different exhaust note compared to Lotus and Williams, let alone others. They still retain some blowing from the sound of it.

Could be the rumoured reduction to only three working cylinders when off throttle to conserve fuel. Or could be off throttle blowing. I hope the FIA are strict if it's the latter.

[banibhusan]

Why is the brake caliper in a horizontal position? What advantage does it bring? Is it for CofG reasons?

Other teams have it in a vertical position to the ground or may be a bit slightly slanted position and at the rear of the hub.

[mx_tifoso]

F1T- Position of a caliper

[raymondu999]

C of G reasons

[Holm86]

Didnt they run horizontal calipers on the RB6 which caused brake failures because debris couldnt exit the caliper??

And then they ran not completly horizontal calipers on the RB7???

[raymondu999]

I think you're right. They moved the brake calipers in late 2010 because of their recurring brake issues.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Some Bahrain FP1 & 2 detail. Sky said RB had a new strake on the diffuser, new bargeboards & new bit on the FW(I think they said endplate)

Right click>view image

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Interesting, Red Bull is testing their own exhaust solution with the tunnel, and then a solution like Sauber with no tunnel at all.

[RB7ate9]

In a way, it's a little reassuring that they've put away the tunnel design. If they just went gung-ho on the sauber design, then Newey and the gang have come to the realization that they need to set aside some of their own notions and work on really finding new solutions. Friday practice is no indicator of real pace, but I have a feeling that both Webber and Vettel are going to push very hard this race to get some good mojo before Barcelona.

[raymondu999]

I find it interesting that Newey now seems to be going away from his earlier notions of a good coke bottle - a philosophy he's had for a few years now.

[RB7ate9]

From Vettel's results with the tight coke bottle in China (considering he is no slouch), there needs to be an additional aspect to gain back downforce and speed.

What is peculiar is that Lotus, who has a similarly tight coke bottle, has been doing well without the same coanda exhausts used in Sauber and Maclaren. Grosjean and Raikkonen have been doing very well in qualifying:

Australia:
P3 Grosjean
P5 Webber
P6 Vettel
P18 Raikkonen

Malaysia:
P4 Webber
P5 Raikkonen
P6 Vettel
P7 Grosjean

China:
P4 Raikkonen
P6 Webber
P10 Grosjean
P11 Vettel

Lotus E20 Rear (From Bahrain, but similar to China)
(Photo from Crucial Extreme):


Vettel's China '12 RB8 Rear:


I would like to know more about the benefits that the RB5-7 sidepods gave compared to, say, the Maclarens or the Toro Rosso's double floor. But, it appears that the coke bottle area isn't as keenly a design area to be strict upon in the RB as before. I expect some radical deviation from the RB5 through 7 after the testing and the season goes on the European leg.

[raymondu999]

I actually don't think the Lotus exhaust is similar in any way to the McLaren/Sauber solution. They're not using coanda to draw it down to the diffuser as such methinks.

But my point is - the sidepod tunnel they had before was an attempt (methinks) to keep the airflow that is attached to the base of the sidepod all the way to the back - preserving some of the better qualities of their RB5/6/7 coke bottle. The RB8 in its newest, tunnel-less spec seems to be a completely opposite philosophy. If anything, the sidepods remind me of the MP4-25 in that they now seem to just taper downwards and not inwards.

I wonder - with this current sidepod spec; would airflow stay attached around the sidepod and into the coke bottle region? It seems quite a bit of an angle now at their sidepod "shoulder."

[RB7ate9]

I believe I misspoke, I meant that Lotus are doing well with their own exhaust design of blowing the beam wing, rather than the Mclaren/Sauber solutions.

I agree with your assessment of the intention of the tunnel, and I feel it hasn't worked out.

I'm curious about the attachment of the flow around the sidepod as well. One would think that the shape, one its own, would create a low pressure area behind it, along the coke bottle, but with the added effect of the exhaust, perhaps designed to flow to the outside of the diffuser, air flow around the sides may be asked to follow along the side, rather than through to the center of the rear.

This must be the reason for the reluctance to go full tilt into a solid ramp for the exhaust gasses. By attempting to have the exhausts flow down and out, it effectively disrupts flow around the side of the side pods. I must presume that Mclaren and Ferrari both had similar conundrums and thus had their bulges and acer ducts, respectively. It is in my humble opinion that Mclaren has the most optimum solution (if not the most aesthetically pleasing), and Red Bull may do a split development strategy again in Barcelona (with Vettel in B-Spec and Webber in Bulges-Spec).