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What major advance in wind tunnel design led to massive improvements in F-1 aerodynamic performance in the 1970's ?
The moving ground wind tunnel corrected the relationship between car, ground and airspeed and the wheels revolved as well, so when a moving ground wind tunnel became avalaible at xxxx, it was invaluable for investigating shapes on the underside of the car.
Where did it took place ?
Who was the first F-1 team and designer who took advantage of that feature ?
@mertol : yes the Team JPS Lotus used that facility in xxxx but another Team used the moving ground wind tunnel first but designed a conventional non-ground effect car as a result. I'm sure you know about that car who had "150 lb downforce more at the front" than its rivals in 1975.
@SiLo : I gave already the answer for question 1. I will give more information about that wind tunnel when somebody has found its name and location. Team JPS Lotus was the second Team to use it so we still don't know who was the first Team and designer who run a F-1 car on a moving ground wind tunnel.
Damn you beat me to it, antiuser !
I think that the wind tunnel was located at Imperial College, London. This was the wind tunnel used by Peter Wright when designing the Lotus 78
WRC is for boys. Group B was for men! Juha Kankkunen
But question nr 3 is still open : Who was the first F-1 team and designer who took advantage of that feature ?
I must say that Gordon Murray and the Team Brabham was a nice try antiuser and of so was the Lotus 78 dobbster71.
But it's another team and designer who blew first a F-1 in the moving ground wind tunnel at the Imperial College in London.
Hints : that team refined a non-ground effect car design that became quite fast but could'nt unfortunately win a World Drivers Championship event. In the result they lost their major sponsor in 1976...
A development of the previous year's DN3, the Shadow DN5 was designed by Tony Southgate. It was more aerodynamically refined using the Imperial College moving floor wind tunnel and had its weight distribution rearranged.
It was qualified on pole position three times (Argentina 75, Brasil 75 and Great Britain 75), and twice achieved a fastest lap in a race (Brasil 75 and Brasil 76). Its best finish in a race was third (twice), both times (Austria 75 and Brasil 76) driven by Tom Pryce.
It was updated into a 'B' specification for 1976, prior to which Universal Oil Products, the team's major sponsor, withdrew its financial support.
