Red Bull RB8 Renault

[Pup]

Well, there was some talk on the McLaren board during the first test that the exhaust might be creating an air dam that was preventing air from getting pulled in to the diffuser. That idea was later dismissed, but perhaps it's possible that RB did encounter that problem and need the bridge to keep the flows separated.

[Oneshortplanck]

Is it the shadow or does the car have less rake with new exhaust?

anyone else notice the tip of the nose?
it looks like RBhate has a mouth

and the blue thing just behind the front wheel

[bhall]

[...] and the blue thing just behind the front wheel

That's a wheel slip sensor used during testing.

EDIT: Strike that. I don't know what the hell that is.

[...] Ferrari are obviously trying to do the same thing but haven't extended the bodywork to the floor

Given the Ferrari 599 GTB's "flying" C-pillar, I think someone's going to have a few questions for his team tonight.

[LoudHoward]

webber isn't pleased with it

Mark probably said exactly what he was going to say regardless of what he felt or what figures they saw from the data either way.

Unlikely that he'd come out and go "Hell yeah we've got it now they're all screwed woooo!" - also unlikely that he'd come out and start sobbing about how they're doomed.

[Blackout]

and the blue thing just behind the front wheel

Me thinks it's a ride height laser sensor
Or maybe a sensor that measures the tea-tray's flexibility ?

[Shrieker]

My oh my... I'll be honest. I am quite shocked to see this upgrade package. It looks as if they've skimmed off half the sidepod, and the rear end looks even tighter than last year despite housing the exhaust... Not to mention the exhaust position/direction looks much more purposeful than the launch version.

In this picture it looks like air/gasses can get to the sides of the diffuser by rear tyre.

http://img3.auto-motor-und-sport.de/Red ... 574841.jpg

I don't know you guys, but to me, this redefines 'tight'.

[raymondu999]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xodLmQJruw4[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBL6KE1h6cM[/youtube]
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYoFbAfdlXI[/youtube]

[hardingfv32]

I don't know you guys, but to me, this redefines 'tight'.

1) What is your basis for this judgement? Looks?

2) Can we assume the previous car was as tight as all the components under the body would allow?You make the body as tight as possible every time correct?

So then what did they do to reduce space under the body that they never have done before? Is bellhousing/transmission new and smaller? Maybe they used small od exhaust tubing to make the exhaust system smaller? What has change?

Brian

[Shrieker]

Well, I have some answers for your inquiries, but since I'm not *the* most knowledgeable around here technically speaking (lol) I'll keep them to myself. Hence the remarks like "as if", "to me" etc. Quite honestly it didn't look like they could squeeze the rear end more last year. It looks tighter and has caught me by surprise quite frankly. Surely, aerodynamically speaking, tighter is better isn't it ? If you could remove the sidepods entirely you'd do it. Begs the question why McLaren and Ferrari can't go as tight as RB can.

[MIKEY_!]

The smaller Renault engine has something to do with it, I think it has smaller cooling requirements.

[PhillipM]

In this picture it looks like air/gasses can get to the sides of the diffuser by rear tyre.

But why move the outlet farther away if you are targeting the sides of the diffuser? The exhaust plume must diffuse the farther out you get.

Brian

I'm not so sure it does, it looks like the bridge is designed to curl the exhaust flow over the side and keep it hugging the side panel (of the bridge), heading in a virtual straight shot to the sides of the diffuser.

The slot underneath is just to keep the air flowing across the floor in inside to stop the exhaust gas being drawn there amongst other things.

[hardingfv32]

It looks tighter and has caught me by surprise quite frankly. Surely, aerodynamically speaking, tighter is better isn't it ?

1) It looks like last years car to me except for some details and the exhaust.
What visual markers cause you to perceive that it is tighter?

2) Off coarse tight is better, but it has been for a decade or more. Last year it was pull rod suspension that made for a major improvement in tightness. What is it this year?

Brian

[hardingfv32]

The slot underneath is just to keep the air flowing across the floor in inside to stop the exhaust gas being drawn there amongst other things.

Good thought.

Brian

[raymondu999]

Last year it was pull rod suspension that made for a major improvement in tightness.

Eh? The 2009 RB5 already had pull-rod.

[Forza]

From this picture we can see the trace of burns from the exhaust to better understand where the flow goes.