kilcoo316 wrote:This I think will siphon off air much further up (vertically); probably through a hole ostentatiously used for starting the engine. However, since it is still increasing the effective exit area of the diffuser it will result in more air drawn under the car floor - which is the sole objective of the diffuser after the initial ramp.
Ah, using the starter hole as an inlet. Now that would be interesting. Is it possible in the rules???
3.12.7 ... An aperture for the purpose of allowing access for the device referred to in Article 5.16 is permitted in this surface ...
You have to wonder whether it would still be considered as an access to the starter if it was shaped / positioned like an inlet for this possible diffuser extension.
3.12.7 No bodywork which is visible from beneath the car and which lies between the rear wheel centre line and a point 350mm rearward of it may be more than 125mm above the reference plane....
It's really the most interesting take on the low diffuser regs anyway. I guess because of the above rule that section can't be part of the diffuser proper - it must be on top of it or the diffuser would be above the height restriction. Which makes me think that the starter hole might well be being put to the purpose of feeding it.
If not the starter hole, then what other inlet could be useful? Could it be a cooling outlet, like the Ferrari crash structure tunnel might be?
It is so close to the diffuser proper that you'd think it must have something to do with it. All the other teams mostly blank off this region to get some low pressure there, so why sacrifice that for cooling?
