2013 Belgian GP - Spa

[beelsebob]

At lower speeds, the drag coming off the wing isn't that great.

At lower speeds is the key – 280km/h is not a low speed, nor is even 150km/h when it comes to the force of drag on an F1 car.

This is why you need to be able to set the switching point relatively low – because then you'll not get (very) hampered at the nice bit of the quadratic drag curve at the bottom, and will have DRD open when you get to the nasty bit. That's not the case at spa – you're already well into the nasty bit by the time you get to open it.

It'll hamper acceleration a bit yes, bit I think the gains outweight the disadvantages.

The point is not really "do the gains out weigh the advantages" – I'd need to take a look at the team's data to have any clue on that, and obviously that's not going to happen. The point is that in terms of the relative gains that can be had with DRD, Spa is about the worst track, because you need to have it set up to not open around Pouhon. Other circuits where your highest speed corner is significantly slower (like monza) are much better suited to it.

Especially because almost all of the corners where you need the rear wing downforce are concentrated in one sector.

That doesn't really help – it's not like you can take the rear wing off for the other two sectors.

Almost the other corners, with the exception of chicanes, are so high speed that the diffuser is more then enough to produce the necessary DF. It makes life concerning set up a little bit easier too. I feel it is even possible to stall the rear wing at Pouhon..

I would bet heavily that that is not possible.

[turbof1]

At lower speeds, the drag coming off the wing isn't that great.

At lower speeds is the key – 280km/h is not a low speed, nor is even 150km/h when it comes to the force of drag on an F1 car.

This is why you need to be able to set the switching point relatively low – because then you'll not get (very) hampered at the nice bit of the quadratic drag curve at the bottom, and will have DRD open when you get to the nasty bit. That's not the case at spa – you're already well into the nasty bit by the time you get to open it.

It'll hamper acceleration a bit yes, bit I think the gains outweight the disadvantages.

The point is not really "do the gains out weigh the advantages" – I'd need to take a look at the team's data to have any clue on that, and obviously that's not going to happen. The point is that in terms of the relative gains that can be had with DRD, Spa is about the worst track, because you need to have it set up to not open around Pouhon. Other circuits where your highest speed corner is significantly slower (like monza) are much better suited to it.

Especially because almost all of the corners where you need the rear wing downforce are concentrated in one sector.

That doesn't really help – it's not like you can take the rear wing off for the other two sectors.

Almost the other corners, with the exception of chicanes, are so high speed that the diffuser is more then enough to produce the necessary DF. It makes life concerning set up a little bit easier too. I feel it is even possible to stall the rear wing at Pouhon..

I would bet heavily that that is not possible.

The key here is "lower". I never said "low". I did acknowledge it'll hamper acceleration, but I think nothing serious noticeable in laptimes, until you are at 280km/h (we are speaking about slightly increased AoA, not full monaco wings!). Pouhon is perfectly doable. They have to brake anyway before entering the corner. DRD would activate later in the corner then. Just like they did last year with DRS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C752vNFJ5kw

notice that Button uses DRS at 1:08, after braking in the corner (and IMO he could have opened it up earlier). So actually you want to have DRD activated right in Pouhon, but only after you took the first apex. So the stalling point would need to be around 250-260km/h. That still is reasonable low enough to not hurt you significantly at the straights.
All other significant corners, 9 to 11 and 13 to 16 have low enough speed for DRD not to activate and where a bigger angle at the rear wing would certainly help. After turn 16 Button used DRS all the way to the bus stop chicane, even at blanchimont. If they can do that with DRS, then they can get that same with a predictable DRD (that is the biggest condition: it needs to work properly).

IMO, I think the biggest problem of all if they get it to work predictable is that the brake distance increases before DRD shuts down. Then again, that is the same for all circuits, also for Monza.

[SectorOne]

I think it will be same old Merc vs Red Bull for win and pole. Or Vettel vs Hamilton-Rosberg.
Ferrari´s best chance is probably Monza.

[PlatinumZealot]

Mclaren will give a good fight for pole here because of the smooth track surface, and the Special low downforce wing they will be bring.

[LionKing]

Yep who knows, maybe with a little of luck we can get access to another McLaren telemetry

[SilverArrow10]

Mclaren will give a good fight for pole here because of the smooth track surface, and the Special low downforce wing they will be bring.

I doubt it for pole, with that car and two drivers they have, not known one lap masters are they. However I wouldn't be surprised to see a McLaren most likely JB on the podium using a good strategy.

[raymondu999]

Yep who knows, maybe with a little of luck we can get access to another McLaren telemetry

McLaren, or Mercedes?

[SiLo]

It's always a pleasure watching Kimi drive around here, as well as Hamilton. Hoping for another Hamilton+Kimi 1 and 2 to make the championship more interesting!

[iotar__]

I hope it rains, I want a proper, rainy mess: wet track, rain, drying track etc. With new tyres that last ages even on Mercedes in the record heat it's the only chance for something interesting in F1.

[godlameroso]

Conditions will be mixed throughout the weekend, that means it'll keep switching back and forth between rain and dry. This race will finally give us a glimpse of what it's like to race on intermediates.

[Mika1]

Mercedes should be strong here.

[turbof1]

If it rains, red bul will be quite dominant. Whenever it is wet, Red Bull look like they are able to keep the downforce consistent, compared to other teams who loose a bit.

[Jonnycraig]

Ridiculously early to predict.

Will Mercedes solve their tyre issues? will Ferrari regain some performance? will Lotus be able to stop one time less on a track where overtaking is possible?

Who knows.

[godlameroso]

I usually get the weather right, or at least I've been pretty dead on this season, but if you don't want to take my word for it fine by me.

[Chuckjr]

Aren't Ferrari pretty strong in the rain, or was that only last year?