PlatinumZealot wrote: ↑09 May 2022, 20:26
So much for low drag sidepods. Evidence so far shows these side pods are made for downforce!
I think both is right and its about definition here. I have data available for the F1-2000, the source is Ferrari itself. The contribution of drag at 16/46mm ride height at medium downforce was :
Front Wing CD 0,123 13,2%
Rear Wing CD 0,297 31,8%
Underfloor CD 0,099 10,6%
Front Wheels CD 0,150 16,0%
Rear Wheels CD 0,187 20,1%
Turning Vane CD 0,023 2,4%
Other CD 0,055 5,9%
Even if aerodynamics are "different" today, a lot of things have not changed. That being that the rear-wing, also today especially with the new regulations, is the biggest contributior to drag. Second is the wheels and the front wing, while the sidepods themself do not have a big effect in that regard. But CFD of the F1-2000 also showed clearly that these sidepods reduced drag by managing the airflow hitting the rear, especially the rear wheels. Today its not much different. CFD in comparison to "micro-sidepods" showed that the sidepods of the F1-75 have less drag than "micro-sidepods", but also "give" more downforce. So they probably are indeed both - "low-drag" but also made for downforce.