New 2013 F1 aerodynamic formula

[WhiteBlue]

What is the point to having air move around the side pod when the sole purpose of a GE design is to get as much air under the car and make the tunnels as large as possible. The coke bottle shape just not good enough.

Can a GE car have a raised nose?

I think the discussion misses the point that high noses will be banned in F1 from 2013. Scarbs has reported that nose point height will be restricted to 120 mm. The height of the monocoque at different points will be further restricted in the years 2011-2013. This coincides with the need to position heavy KERS components in a low position at the front wheels. Additionally the high noses are a safety concern because drivers cannot see what happens at the front of the cars due to the max reclined driving position.

[747heavy]

while we are talking about possible air inlets.

here the old Honda turbo "snorchles" similar to solutions seen in LeMans LMP´s during the last years.




Honda turbo in a McLaren


some other "airbox" solutions





let´s keep in mind, that with an I4 turbo, we are likely to see only one intake.

[Giblet]

I would like to see a slightly raised driver position to allow for more visibility, and less chopped off wings and punctures.

[WhiteBlue]

I would like to see a slightly raised driver position to allow for more visibility, and less chopped off wings and punctures.

+1

[Just_a_fan]

Indeed. If it were easier for the driver to know where the corners are then we could have women driving them too...

Seriously, the need to protect the driver (and maximise aero efficiency) will mean that his eye line will always be low relative to the scuttle and he will always be struggling to see the extremities of the car.

[Just_a_fan]

while we are talking about possible air inlets.

here the old Honda turbo "snorchles" similar to solutions seen in LeMans LMP´s during the last years.

let´s keep in mind, that with an I4 turbo, we are likely to see only one intake.

Presumably the regs will need to be altered to allow for such a solution. With the FIA's move to ban Merc's roll hoop solution, I would think the FIA's view is that the 'snorkel' should be in the roll hoop as it is now.

[piast9]

I think Merc's hoop was banned because it wasn't a hoop at all. It was a blade. I think rules allow roll hoop similar to what was used in 80's - just a hoop behind the driver not followed by the air intake of any form. Today it may be just made more aerodynamic than just the bent pipe. It would be possible only if the regulations about the dimensions of the side view of the car were dropped.

[Giblet]

A driver can sit higher, and still have a protected head.

What they would have to, is change the design of the car. Thought I would point out the obvious as apparently some think the driver would be sitting up like a prairie dog.

I'm not talking about being upright, but not quite as laid down. IF there was a mandated height, it would improve visibility and racing.

As it is already it's like they need a periscope to see other cars around them.

[Just_a_fan]

IF there was a mandated height, it would improve visibility and racing.

The latter does not necessarily follow from the former. Visibility won't help the cars run close together in the corners which is what is needed to help racing.

[WhiteBlue]

Giblet is totally correct saying that a higher driver seating position will improve safety and racing. Currently drivers cannot see the front of their cars and many times we have seen racing accidents due to this deficit in the last season. One example that comes to mind is the copse corner collision between Hamilton and Vettel in lap one of the British GP. This racing accident pretty much destroyed Vettel's race. There are probably between ten and twenty accidents throughout the season that could have been avoided or the consequences mitigated if the drivers had had better visibility. I do not consider avoidable accidents good for racing.

[ringo]

The higher the driver the increased risk of injury to the head, neck and upper body.
Only if the driver is in a roll cage would i seat him higher. We all saw what happened to Senna.

Vettel should learn to be aware of the 4 corners of his car. I don't see enough repeated occurences to warrant seating the driver any higher.

what could be done is a roll hoop camera that is linked to a transparent monitor within the helmet giving the driver views of the flanks, or behind or wherever he wants. Similar to those parking cameras in luxury cars.
With this technology it's possible the driver's head doesn't have to be poking out at all. He could drive by cameras, like tank operators or submarine operators.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOzf8mPFBh0[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABQqD8Ch ... re=related[/youtube]

Other than that, the cars look bad enough with the bulky foam protection around the drivers, i don't want to see it get any worse with a high seating position.

[Formula None]

There are wheel tethers on the cars these days, ringo. Line of sight could be elevated a few inches relative to the top of the nose cone, while maintaining high cockpit sides. I don't see this posing any safety issues.

Like WB and Giblet said, improved visibility is obviously going to be safer. I imagine it would also be more confidence inspiring for the driver.

As for cameras and monitors... Its better to focus the eyes on a real moving racetrack that is tens to hundreds of meters ahead of you than rather than a laggy (its never going to be instantaneous) bunch of pixels a few inches from your face.

[astracrazy]

maybe you don't need to make adjustments to the car but just the drivers seats

for example i bet jenson has a much better view because he is taller than what kobayashi has.

both drivers are just as safe but one can see more. so why not make a regulation that the top of the drivers helmet must be xxmm height from xxx. Problem is solved by raising the seat of the driver.

or im taling sh*t coz i don't know what each driver can see tbh

[FW17]

what could be done is a roll hoop camera that is linked to a transparent monitor within the helmet giving the driver views of the flanks, or behind or wherever he wants. Similar to those parking cameras in luxury cars.
With this technology it's possible the driver's head doesn't have to be poking out at all. He could drive by cameras, like tank operators or submarine operators.
.

Totally off topic but;

Why is vision enhancement not used in F1 while driving in rain? with todays tech a gadget like this can be easily fitted in the drivers visor with TOLED display.

[Giblet]

The higher the driver the increased risk of injury to the head, neck and upper body.

Everything else that surrounds the driver would also be made higher, like the roll hoop, side head protection, and top of the nose right where the windscreen was proposed. His head could be protected just as well as it is now. Combined with the lower mandated noses in 2013, he might actually be able to see his tires when they clip the apex, and before the clip a wing on lap 1. These wide wings are also a problem, but the two combined made a lot of problems in 2009 and 2010.

His feet would also be moved back a bit, and remembering Kubicas dangling digits in Canada, can't be a bad thing.

Keep in mind I'm for slightly raising the position, not driving like Gilles was.