Would a sidepod-less car be realistic?

[Just_a_fan]

Yes, you have to ask "Where do the radiators go?" If speculation re: Ferrari's sidepods are correct then you could potentially reduce drag with wider sidepods. Compare to sportscars. By a certain % of this forum's logic, they are more 'draggy' (looking) because they have wide bodywork. Yet it's the opposite, and their L:D ratios are better than F1.

Having open wheels will always give an F1 car a poorer L:D ratio than an enclosed car such as an LMP. Its worth noting that LMP cars are effectively enclosed F1 cars these days and that enclosing of wheels, etc., is always going to help L:D.

[Hoffman900]

Yes, you have to ask "Where do the radiators go?" If speculation re: Ferrari's sidepods are correct then you could potentially reduce drag with wider sidepods. Compare to sportscars. By a certain % of this forum's logic, they are more 'draggy' (looking) because they have wide bodywork. Yet it's the opposite, and their L:D ratios are better than F1.

I always thought of F1 aerodynamics as trying to create a Sports Prototype bodywork via air shaping.

[Andi76]

Tests in Barcelona are underway. There is NO car without sidepods...but Mercedes has changed their sidepods completely. They are extremely small.

[Tzk]

Yes. And as expected the Merc features a bulkier top intake. Looks like they relocated some radiators on top of the engine. Also they stated that the sidepod radiators were that small from the beginning and they "just" changed the bodywork shape.

[vorticism]

I'd call it undercutless, rather than sidepodless. The widest point of the sidepod is now at the juncture with the floor.

[jjn9128]

Yes, you have to ask "Where do the radiators go?" If speculation re: Ferrari's sidepods are correct then you could potentially reduce drag with wider sidepods. Compare to sportscars. By a certain % of this forum's logic, they are more 'draggy' (looking) because they have wide bodywork. Yet it's the opposite, and their L:D ratios are better than F1.

Having open wheels will always give an F1 car a poorer L:D ratio than an enclosed car such as an LMP. Its worth noting that LMP cars are effectively enclosed F1 cars these days and that enclosing of wheels, etc., is always going to help L:D.

L/D of F1 is better than the fixed L/D of the LMH rules like 5.5 vs 4

[Just_a_fan]

Yes, you have to ask "Where do the radiators go?" If speculation re: Ferrari's sidepods are correct then you could potentially reduce drag with wider sidepods. Compare to sportscars. By a certain % of this forum's logic, they are more 'draggy' (looking) because they have wide bodywork. Yet it's the opposite, and their L:D ratios are better than F1.

Having open wheels will always give an F1 car a poorer L:D ratio than an enclosed car such as an LMP. Its worth noting that LMP cars are effectively enclosed F1 cars these days and that enclosing of wheels, etc., is always going to help L:D.

L/D of F1 is better than the fixed L/D of the LMH rules like 5.5 vs 4

The Hypercars are different to the old LMPs though, aren't they?

[CAEdevice]

Has anyone already thought about this?

https://wheels.iconmagazine.it/content/ ... F1-960x545.

[jjn9128]

Has anyone already thought about this?

https://wheels.iconmagazine.it/content/ ... F1-960x545.

YES

[vorticism]

[holeindalip]

Yes. And as expected the Merc features a bulkier top intake. Looks like they relocated some radiators on top of the engine. Also they stated that the sidepod radiators were that small from the beginning and they "just" changed the bodywork shape.

They’ve already stated the mechanical internals are exactly the same as before, just the bodywork has changed…..

[AAhotmail]

With the floor needing to be so strong/stiff these days it could be imagined that the cooling panels could be stood vertically on the floor in-line with the airflow immediately in front of the rear wheels. Look at the old MARCH 761 but remove the side-tanks...
The high pressure in front of the rear wheels vs. the low pressure in the flow close to the tub and on the inside of the 'radiator' would encourage the cooling air through the panel with help from some subtle shaping around the rest of the side pod mounted kit. The result would be almost no side-pod...

[vorticism]

Since the floor can intersect with the T-tray beneath the survival cell, it should be possible to turn the T-tray into the inlet, and route a duct through a hollowed out floor section. It would be the only way to fit a sizeable duct through that area, since no bodwork is permitted around the side survival cell ahead of the floor. Trade-off would be altering the shape of the floor to achieve this. That said, note the McLaren and the Alfa Romeo/Sauber this year have a step down in the floor in precisely that area this year, so it's not as though the tunnel entry needs to be maximum height in that area, necessarily.





Another option may be to simply move the sidepot inlet to the front of the floor (below), or near to it at least, if there is some rule governing that shape of the floor front edge that I'm missing. I dub them floorpods.

[AR3-GP]

I think the T-tray inlet is illegal or could only be used to cool electronics. The second example with the floor leading edge is also illegal because the sidepod aperture must be within the regulation box which is behind the floor leading edge. Very interesting ideas though. With your t-tray inlet you could get a true sidepod less car if you reshape the chassis to submerge the radiators inside it.

[michl420]

I think we must set apart a car with no sidepod inlet, and no sidepod volumen at all.