F1technical.net

BBC website says this:

"It is not yet known whether the device is linked to the DRS moveable rear wing system or - as seems more likely - operates when the car is going beyond a certain speed."

Have to say, I don't think it seems more likely, since Lotus have said it uses the same loophole as the Mercedes system - i.e. the fact that using DRS driver input is exempt from the movable aero devices rule.

I certainly don't subscribe to it being a passive system otherwise there would be no use in having the periscope joining the engine cover to the RW. The periscope acts like the old hand on the cockpit hole scenario

This is not a drag reduction system as such,

it is all about using the high pressure air by the roll hoop to create more downforce, so it is ducted down to the diffuser as shown in my drawing,


the DRS is acting as a fluidic switch, the high pressure air is then ducted out above the beam wing when the DRS opens,

so the drag and downforce created from the high pressure air being ducted over the top of the diffuser is lost, so really it is all about gaining downforce

so to sum up:

DRS CLOSED:
Air travels to blow over the top of the diffuser

DRS OPEN:
Air is blown out above the beam wing

Is that air really creating much drag though? The diffuser is pretty efficient and I can't help feel that the drag in the airbox intakes and tubing at the rear is greater than a bit of extra air over the diffuser. Common sense would say that shedding FW drag is much more beneficial.

In any case at least we have a to do list now.
1, Where are the intakes that are only active when DRS is on
2, Where is the air exiting when it isn't going out of the beamwing
3, Is it all going to the 2nd exit of is there another


I feel that unless there are any pictures of those 3 things from FP2 then we may have to wait a while before they can get it working well enough to run again.

Owen.C93 wrote:Is that air really creating much drag though? The diffuser is pretty efficient and I can't help feel that the drag in the airbox intakes and tubing at the rear is greater than a bit of extra air over the diffuser. Common sense would say that shedding FW drag is much more beneficial.

In any case at least we have a to do list now.
1, Where are the intakes that are only active when DRS is on
2, Where is the air exiting when it isn't going out of the beamwing
3, Is it all going to the 2nd exit of is there another


I feel that unless there are any pictures of those 3 things from FP2 then we may have to wait a while before they can get it working well enough to run again.

something I noticed in fp2:

the exit is that tube by the gurney I am pretty sure

I can't really see what you mean. Could you highlight for me please?

Owen.C93 wrote:Is that air really creating much drag though? The diffuser is pretty efficient and I can't help feel that the drag in the airbox intakes and tubing at the rear is greater than a bit of extra air over the diffuser. Common sense would say that shedding FW drag is much more beneficial.

they could get rid of downforce from the diffuser allow lower ride height to be used at the rear

I am pretty sure this is the duct

Look like the one on the car without the system.

(I'm not sure one can copyright a screen grab.)

Their Daffy Duct is going to need to be awfully damn effective to offset the very visible loss of downforce it causes.

Owen.C93 wrote:

Possibly the bottom of the endplate I think,

the hole is on the profile so the flow only goes through the central pipe and there is this multi plane section between the profile and the endplate

Another image to try and find an exit.

bhallg2k wrote:(I'm not sure one can copyright a screen grab.)

Their Daffy Duct is going to need to be awfully damn effective to offset the very visible loss of downforce it causes.

Owen.C93 wrote:

Looks to me that they are trying to do something to airflow at back of car. Maybe trying to stall air coming off diffuser or beamwing?

If their sollution really is a version of f-duct, then it would be less effective on rear wing as the same is already done with drs, and as it can only be used when drs is pressed on straights, it must have something to do with reducing downforce.

Cant the air just go to the middle of the RW then out to the endplates and out thru the holes?