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F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 20:37
by throwaway1
This is a hypothetical question obviously.
Motivated by a joke article on f1 banter, I was thinking of what it would be like to have an F1 race on the moon.
Suppose we had some sort of colony on the moon used for research and the like. This area was sealed off and the air pressure inside was kept at 1 atm.
What would driving an F1 car on there be like?
I'd imagine teams would need to run very high downforce levels. They need to move the same mass, but now have less force pushing the tires to the surface.
What other effects would there be?
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 20:42
by amouzouris
umm...they can run as much AoA on the wings as they want..it will do nothing..there is no atmosphere on the moon...no air..no downforce...
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 20:47
by throwaway1
amouzouris wrote:umm...they can run as much AoA on the wings as they want..it will do nothing..there is no atmosphere on the moon...no air..no downforce...
read my post again
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 20:47
by Pup
The moon people are notorious tightwads. They'd never pay Bernie's fee.
But the cars are so light, I'd say gravity is optional.
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 20:50
by amouzouris
throwaway1 wrote:amouzouris wrote:umm...they can run as much AoA on the wings as they want..it will do nothing..there is no atmosphere on the moon...no air..no downforce...
read my post again
oops...im so sorry you are right..should read the posts better before i posted!!
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 21:01
by flynfrog
The amount of O2 in the atmosphere. A pretty rare and pricey comodity
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 21:03
by Pup
Well I think we can assume that the cars would be converted to run on cheese.
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 21:10
by gridwalker
Don't forget the Space Nazis ... Joe Saward would lead the call for a boycott
[youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py_IndUbcxc[/youtube]
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 21:56
by WhiteBlue
Pirelli would not have to bring rain tyres unless Bernie has them to install his sprinklers and a weather lottery program.
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 22:56
by Sombrero
Bernie would be glad : another GP venue with no atmosphere...
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 23:18
by raymondu999
throwaway1 wrote:I'd imagine teams would need to run very high downforce levels. They need to move the same mass, but now have less force pushing the tires to the surface.
Why, if they have 1 atm of pressure?
It's Total's ad here in Singapore too:
[youtube]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYgkzPZPgn8[/youtube]
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 23:31
by Pup
My sources tell me that the GP will really be run in an abandoned film studio in the Arizona desert.
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 23:33
by xpensive
Pup wrote:My sources tell me that the GP will really be run in an abandoned film studio in the Arizona desert.
I think it would make more sense to take the race to planet Vulcan, to avoid emotional outbursts from the spectators.
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 23:36
by Pup
A race on Ron Dennis' home world? Dream on. Besides, tickets on Vulcan are all PSL.
Re: F1 Race on the Moon
Posted: 12 Mar 2012, 23:38
by roller
If You put the cars into an artificial atmosphere, i think that the only change with respect to a real race in the earth it would be the less gravity. Your inertia would be the same, your downforce would be the same, but your gravity force would be less.
In terms of grip, it would be like the F3 in the earth or any category with severe restrictions in aerodynamics. In fact, it doesn't matter where the vertical force comes from, it only matter the sum of all vertical forces.
Well, probably, if Schumacher wins the race, he would jump much higher.