2012 Splitter Idea

[RichardF1]

I have been following technical developments of the 2011 F1 cars and thinking on the throne the other day how the teams could get more out of the diffuser than they can with the exhaust positioning now being where they are for 2012. Is it possible to have ducts integrated into the splitter to feed air under the car to gain more downforce? I'm not sure if this would work, or if it is legal, but want to know

[ESPImperium]

Nope banned, as Scarbs F1 blog will explain.

http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2011/10/2 ... n-effects/

[RichardF1]

Is it banned based on the idea of having holes in the splitter and in the floor. Does the wording of the rules cover that area from the DD which was banned? From Scarbs' blog, all I could find was about using exhausts for aero benefit, but my idea isn't using exhaust gases. Its a similar concept to the DD but air is routed under the car, putting more air through the diffuser, and by using the principle of 'more is better', it would help downforce. If it is banned, I am struggling to find any loopholes in the rules of where there could be a big aero benefit this year.

[gridwalker]

The floor is meant to be a single contiguous surface with no holes (or slots) other than the starter motor hole, which is regulated in size and use.

How are you planning on channeling air through to the floor under these circumstances?

[RichardF1]

I was hoping to place the holes either side of snowplow area of the splitter and feed the air under the car. Like a reverse DD, if that was legal, would there be any benefit to having that?

[gridwalker]

Given that the regulations defining the floor define that area as extending between the front and rear axle lines, there is really very little room for adding additional ducting that may divert air into this area; I think it is fair to say that teams are already doing as much as they can in this area.

Case in point : the elaborate splitters that we have seen in recent seasons.





I can't think of any other method for dumping additional air under the floor, but that is probably why I'm not an engineer

[RichardF1]

Thanks for the clarification, the regs this year are pretty watertight from what I can see. Looks like some in-depth knowledge is needed to get a new area open like the DD and EBD. Newey will think of something.

[godlameroso]

You have to understand the diffuser can only create so much pressure drop, in this case you want to increase the pressure on the other side of the chassis by using the diffuser to feed the beam wing. The slotted gurneys are an attempt to create a stronger upwash as air flows over the roof of the diffuser area. I wouldn't be surprised to see extreme packaging next year in order to free up the shape of the diffuser area. I expect the rear bodywork to converge like a tetrahedron with the diffuser shaped as close to a wing as possible.

Given how things are now the front wings work more like diffusers/flow conditioners than aerofoils.

[RichardF1]

After a bit of procrastination during my Uni essays. Having an extreme coke bottle shape with the U-pods similar to McLaren MP4-26 to feed the beam wing/dump drag/whatever the aero gain is involved with the U-pod Would it be an idea to have the cut-out rear floor like the MP4-24 from early on in the season? Surely having this air going under and feeding the diffuser will be beneficial this year as last year the EBD and the year before the DDD gave more DF than that idea. Would be interested to see if any teams explore that this year,or would it lead to sensitivity of the rear, where a stable rear is key! That is if the FIA haven't deemed it illegal just because