Red Bull RB8 Renault

[Lastonedown]

Why the use of the heat lamp?

Brian

They use it to harden the epoxy resin.
You can see that there is some "peel-ply" on the fin:

[Just_a_fan]

I'm guessing that the tunnels are being used to draw air from the side of the sidepod to the below the gearbox and towards the slotted gurney sbove the diffuser.

But rather than being about improving airflow through the diffuser, I think they're trying to reduce the effects of the side flow from disrupting the exhaust flow. In effect, they're using the system to condition the flow to boost the exhausts' effects.

Or maybe the front portion of the tunnel does this but the rear ducted part actually does aid diffuser efficiency. I wonder if we'll ever know for sure?

[Steven]

I'm guessing that the tunnels are being used to draw air from the side of the sidepod to the below the gearbox and towards the slotted gurney sbove the diffuser.

But rather than being about improving airflow through the diffuser, I think they're trying to reduce the effects of the side flow from disrupting the exhaust flow. In effect, they're using the system to condition the flow to boost the exhausts' effects.

Or maybe the front portion of the tunnel does this but the rear ducted part actually does aid diffuser efficiency. I wonder if we'll ever know for sure?

I'm with you. For me it looks like the total volume of air into the ducts is now great to only blow the starter hole. There would be no point in making such a big duct and entry only for such a small outlet (except for a venturi effect of course, but the difference seems a little big).

I also think, as pointed out at http://www.f1technical.net/development/365 that the central feed blows over the top of the diffuser and thus helps extract air from underneath.

One thing is unclear to me though: is it clear that there actually is a duct for the big entry? Or is there only a real duct for the smaller entry hole?

[hardingfv32]

They use it to harden the epoxy resin.
You can see that there is some "peel-ply" on the fin:

Is the 'peel-ply' going to make the exterior of this repair somewhat smooth?

Brian

[ImAnEngineer]

I have been really enjoying Gary Anderson's analysis this season on the BBC, particularly his pit lane briefings during P1. Very insightful and also interesting hearing his interpretation of the cars.

Sorry, but 99% of what he says is nonsense

[hardingfv32]

Tomba are right. You can see the back of the front duck does not go all the way through to the end of the diffuser. So how does the flow exhaust?

Brian

[Gusgus]

Don't you think the foremost, biggest inlet could lead to the hot air exits I highlighted in yellow ?

[hardingfv32]

Where would you estimate the outer pivot point on the upper control arm? Way out near the outer edge of the metallic piece? What is the odd shaped washer under the nut? Why the use of a nut in an poor aero position/application.

Brian

[gray41]

Has anyone else got strakes on the top of the diffuser/floor?

[flyboy2160]

They use it to harden the epoxy resin.
You can see that there is some "peel-ply" on the fin:

Is the 'peel-ply' going to make the exterior of this repair somewhat smooth?

Brian

no, peel ply gives you a spikey/rough surface that is normally intended as a surface to be bonded to. it's not as good as a sanded or grit blasted prepared surface, but the labor is much less and it avoids the potential of sanding too much and into the fibers.

but my guess is that here they are just using it to bleed out excess resin from a wet hand layup.

[Kiril Varbanov]

Whatever Newey or Rob Marshal have done with the car, it was scary fast ... Rivals to think about it.

[raymondu999]

Scarier still is that they seem to have married it with good tyre life. Vettel's first stint was the same length as Grosjean's, and longer than Alonso or Hamilton's. Had Vettel not retired from the race with the alternator issue then we probably would've seen him recoup his 20s lead. Or maybe he would've kept it at 10s and just managed his tyres then on in.

It will be very interesting to see how they handle in Silverstone. From the heat and hairpins of Valencia to the high downforce and cold of Silverstone. I would think that the Red Bull would be more improved through fast corners, (relative to the older-spec sidepods) given that the primary changes are aerodynamic in nature. The Lotus, McLaren and Williams has also been quick through high speed stuff though, arguably better than they are in slow corners; so it will be interesting to see how the pecking order stacks.

[marcush.]

Why the use of the heat lamp?

Brian

you can clearly see the vertical strakes have been freshly bonded to the floor (covering tape in the fillet ) so curing aid those IR lamps!

[raymondu999]

what do you folk think - will form still ebb and flow through the year? Or has the Red Bull now rediscovered some lost mojo with its latest D-spec sidepod configuration?

[Cam]

Give it another race or so and it'll be banned.

That said, if they manage to keep it, they look very strong.