Red Bull RB8 Renault

[Chalke]

So thin it looks more likely to be under tension than compression.

[aral]

Very thin stay for the splitter. Can anyone say flexible?

This may not be a stay, as there are rules in relation to strength of the splitter. It could well be part of a tension meter, measuring the deflection, if any, of the splitter.

[Ferraripilot]

I'm still unable to find a pic showing rake of this thing..... anyone find one?

[Crucial_Xtreme]

I'm still unable to find a pic showing rake of this thing..... anyone find one?

Best one I can find. Of course Newey is on record saying they won't be running the same amount as last year. right click>view image

[Lurk]

They surely are testing different setting because there is a video of yesterday showing Webber with a lot of rake.

[raymondu999]

Regarding the comments on how the rear end packaging has not really moved on from last year - which is an absolutely logical assertion; given that they've probably already got every component in their rubbing on the next component it's so tight; I wonder - why didn't they pursue the Williams gearbox idea? Surely it would have been a further step in that direction; and would have helped them get a bit more packaging goodness?

[Lorenzo_Bandini]

I post this yesterday...

http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?s ... &p=5515198

There are some intersting bits from the Renault engine guy Jean Caubet in the sportbild print issue.
He says the Mercedes engine has 15 hp more than Renault but their engine is more fuel efficient and the drivability is better.
Overall he says they have a small edge over Mercedes.
His rating puts the Ferrari engine as 3rd best, having about the same hp output as Renault but a higher consumption and worse drivability.
He added that Red Bull can start the race with 15-18(!) liter less fuel than the competitors.
Caubet also gives a hint that they found a clever solution with Red Bull to re-gain the performance loss of the hot blowing.

And on Autosport forum, a guy who spent the whole day at Jerez to watch the car said this :

First thing I can tell you is... the Red Bull looked a LOT better today. So clean into the chicane, Webber was braking a good 20 metres later than most, and retaining good mid-corner speed to boot. Exhaust note was still very EBD-ish.

The Caterham sounds similar to the Lotus and Williams, but not the Red Bull (which I'm sure is still using blowing techniques ala 2011). It sounds a little different on the overrun now and then, but nothing too peculiar.

If it's true, how RB is able to do this ?

[Mr.S]

I dont know why but I feel their cooling outlet is some sort of a trick. Like that fancy F-duct being talked about Mercedes. It just can be driver cooling. That is big & look at the way it is shaped. I got a feeling it is sucking air in & maybe feeding in into the diffuser.

Newey is a genius. I would not put him past that. I know this sounds really stupid & ridiculous but it's just what I feel with no iota of proof to back it up.

[strad]

Adrian Newey has cleared up the mystery about the ‘letterbox’ opening in the nose of the newly-launched 2012 Red Bull car. The F1 world noticed that Newey’s ‘step nose’ differs from its rivals in the form of an air inlet where the monocoque height meets the new lower nose height. Some surmised it must be for KERS or engine cooling, or perhaps even an F-duct style channel through to the diffuser.

Designer Newey, however, said it is to just cool the drivers.

“The toes are a bit too cold now actually,” grinned Mark Webber to Italy’s Autosprint

Yeah Right...Why don't I believe him??

[Robbobnob]

I post this yesterday...

http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?s ... &p=5515198

There are some intersting bits from the Renault engine guy Jean Caubet in the sportbild print issue.
He says the Mercedes engine has 15 hp more than Renault but their engine is more fuel efficient and the drivability is better.
Overall he says they have a small edge over Mercedes.
His rating puts the Ferrari engine as 3rd best, having about the same hp output as Renault but a higher consumption and worse drivability.
He added that Red Bull can start the race with 15-18(!) liter less fuel than the competitors.
Caubet also gives a hint that they found a clever solution with Red Bull to re-gain the performance loss of the hot blowing.

And on Autosport forum, a guy who spent the whole day at Jerez to watch the car said this :

First thing I can tell you is... the Red Bull looked a LOT better today. So clean into the chicane, Webber was braking a good 20 metres later than most, and retaining good mid-corner speed to boot. Exhaust note was still very EBD-ish.

The Caterham sounds similar to the Lotus and Williams, but not the Red Bull (which I'm sure is still using blowing techniques ala 2011). It sounds a little different on the overrun now and then, but nothing too peculiar.

If it's true, how RB is able to do this ?

Cold Blowing is not Banned this year, only hot blowing by the regulation requiring the throttle to match the accelerator pedal.

Renault claim they used it back in 2009 for reliability and cooling. If any audio or a video of the Renault powered cars would be great!!

[robsaddler]

Is it possible the vent is the air intake for a front wing F-duct like the one Mercedes GP experimented with last year? I find it hard to believe that it is for driver cooling as drivers are covered in insulating coveralls so airflow over them is unlikely to have much effect.

[officialsushy]

look at the nose top and blow.Below you can see hole.It is from that letter box.any suggestions what this could be

[officialsushy]

another picture of RB8 NOse look at the hole at the bottom

[avatar]

look at the nose top and blow.Below you can see hole.It is from that letter box.any suggestions what this could be

I think the one under the nose is the driver cooling duct they had last year.

Which probably leaves Mr Newey's pants on fire.

[Ian P.]

Is it possible the vent is the air intake for a front wing F-duct like the one Mercedes GP experimented with last year? I find it hard to believe that it is for driver cooling as drivers are covered in insulating coveralls so airflow over them is unlikely to have much effect.

The more insulating the cover-alls the more cooling flow you need. Basic heat transfer.
M.S. once admitted he (ocassionally) had to have a leak inside the car during a race. The heat was enough to dry everything up in a flash. Yes it is a HOT place to work.
Letter box could indeed be for driver cooling, but it could also be to cool the front dampers, supply stalling F-Duct like flow to various surfaces around the front of the side pods, cool the KERS which could then be further forward in the car, act as a boundary layer break over the top of the chasis and my favourite, in wet races it will help stop the flash of water in front of the driver the standard step is going to create.
Not likely used for a front wing F-Duct as it is too far away. Easier ways to get the stagnation pressure and air flow.