Williams FW34 Renault

[roadie]

Also new cooling (credit Francesc)

[ringo]

what speeds are considered low speed in f1?
Williams need to improve i this area, but is the improvement in aero or mechancial?
That is why i am curious as to the definition of slow speed cornering.

What is so ellusive to williams as far as low speed performance is concerned.

I wonder if the coanda exhausts can act as a bandaid if the put it on.

[drunkmunky]

I believe,

The problem right now is not Aero.
The problem is Mechanical.

Why do I make this statement?

Aero efficiency is of greater importance in high speed conditions with the need for downforce and minimal drag.

The mechanical efficiency comes into play when aero efficiency is not as substantial.

Aero is not as important in low speed conditions when compared to high speed conditions.

[ringo]

Ok, then what are low speed conditions?
And how do you seperate aero from it?

That's the thing you see, low speed performace can still be very dependent on aero performance. We learnt this from the blown diffusers last year.

We need to know what's the difference between low speed and high speed, where does one begin and where the other ends.

Williams have improved the car, obviously, and new team engineers have understood the problems from last year. However, the car is deficient in low speed cornering.
I don't know what aspect of the car this can be attributed to.

[danardif1]

Ok, then what are low speed conditions?
And how do you seperate aero from it?

That's the thing you see, low speed performace can still be very dependent on aero performance. We learnt this from the blown diffusers last year.

We need to know what's the difference between low speed and high speed, where does one begin and where the other ends.

Williams have improved the car, obviously, and new team engineers have understood the problems from last year. However, the car is deficient in low speed cornering.
I don't know what aspect of the car this can be attributed to.

Differential settings.
Gearbox ratios.
Engine mapping.
Damper stiffness.
Ride height.

These are all things that can be worked on by the team to improve the low speed issues the car is having, which are mainly towards the rear and include traction from the corners IIRC. Considering that the car has a brand new engine, and all the complicated electronics and mappings that we've seen RBR use so well, you'd find it easy to understand that traction and mechanical grip are things they need to find solutions for.

They are the only team to have changed engines over the winter, so give them time to work out how to best use them in conjunction with their car.

[ringo]

Those things you mentioned aren't necessarily unknowns to the Williams team. They are't serious enough to be labeled as "issues".
Neither should it be for Renault engineers who supply the engine.
And it still goes around the elephant in the room, which is what differentiates high speed from low speed cornering.
The engine should in fact make it much easier for them than last year, as that engine is quoted as being very drivable.

Diff settings, ratios, dampers, ride height. They probably have full understanding of that from years of experience and simulator work.

Bruno is saying he would have liked another week. Williams aren't that incompetent that they need all that time to setup their differential.
The problem is more than likely rooted in the design of the car.

[FW17]

[quote="ringo"]Ok, then what are low speed conditions?
And how do you seperate aero from it?

That's the thing you see, low speed performace can still be very dependent on aero performance. We learnt this from the blown diffusers last year.

We need to know what's the difference between low speed and high speed, where does one begin and where the other ends
[quote]

Is dowforce generation linear or non-linear?

[raymondu999]

Downforce isn't quite linear - it's closer to proportional to the square of your speed.

[hardingfv32]

Does high or low speed cornering performance have any relevance? You work the handling problems with all the adjustments you have available. I would say mechanical grip has a constant level of performance potential through the speed range while aero grip performance potential increases with speed.

I believe the statement was that Williams had poor low speed corner performance. I would take this to mean that the balance of the car was poor at low speeds. I do not think you can assign blame to mechanical or aero grip. It is a complete system. In general, using only mechanical grip, it can be difficult to get a car that is perfect at high speeds and does not push at low speeds. You usually use aero to correct a situation like this. Maybe in F1, the compromise between mechanical and aero is a sharp point that is hard to stay on top of when trying to achieve perfect balance at low and high speeds.

Brian

[Blackout]

Williams front brakes + duct

[FW17]

[MIKEY_!]

Does that splitter shape seem odd to anyone else?

[roadie]

I can only imagine it's thicker at the rear for structural integrity.

[shelly]

If the shape is really like it seems, with a rounded step in top view, it could be for gaining some pressure on the top part of the splitter with the double benefit of direct downforce and stronger ttray edge vortices (that go under the floor rolling along the vertical wall between step and reference plane).

Thta at the expense of some losses for deceleration and subsequent acceleration of the flow on the side of the keel.

It could be worth it.

[Coefficient]

Maybe its wrapped around KERS hardware?