Why don't F1 cars run air dams like McLaren sports cars did back in the 70's (maybe)(picture on page 104 ofthe book called How To Make Your Car Handle by Fred Puhn) the car would probably gain more Df without a whole lot extra drag.
Shrek wrote:Why don't F1 cars run air dams like McLaren sports cars did back in the 70's (maybe)(picture on page 104 ofthe book called How To Make Your Car Handle by Fred Puhn) the car would probably gain more Df without a whole lot extra drag.
because a wing is a few billion times more efficient ad to open wheel design makes it sorta worthless anyway
Air dams, by themselves, are used to let the least possible amount of air under the car so that the pressure under the car is as low as possible. With the restrictions placed on engineers in F1, placing an air dam at the front of the car would not be practical because the open wheel design and underbody restrictions would just let the air that you kept out right back in. Then you'd have a big air dam generating a lot of drag, but effectively no downforce.
As far as Formula racing is concerned, air dams are impractical simply because of the design restrictions of the sport. However, in Le Mans, design is slightly less restricted, so air dams combined with splitters do make an appearance.
yes but they're extended on the top of the bodywork (raises pressure on the top side)(kind of like the raised portion of the Red Bull's nose but it is a blade that can go down the whole nose)
Shrek wrote:I think the car i meant is the McLaren M8 (1974) the top of the bodywork has kind of like an endplate to make i think downforce
Do you mean the bits sticking up from the sides of the car Shrek?
"It could be done manually. It would take quite a while, but it could be done. There is however a much more efficient and accurate way of getting the data. Men with lasers." Wing Commander Andy Green
I myself don't know. It could be down to rules. Possibly the minimum radius rule comes into play for this one... I'm not sure.
Some help guys?
"It could be done manually. It would take quite a while, but it could be done. There is however a much more efficient and accurate way of getting the data. Men with lasers." Wing Commander Andy Green
There are "fences" in use. The RBR F1 has one fence running directly behind the rear cowling, called a "shark" fin. It is essentially the same use as the fences on the Mclaren.
The Mclaren fences do aid in keeping the air direction by guiding it off the back of the car, but have "car attitude stabilizing effect " like dual rudders on a airplane. The car attitude stabilizing effect (reducing high speed oversteer) is the main reason for the RBR fence.
"Driving a car as fast as possible (in a race) is all about maintaining the highest possible acceleration level in the appropriate direction." Peter Wright,Techical Director, Team Lotus
