Red Bull RB8 Renault

[Owen.C93]

Not sure why the plank would rub on low fuel with DRS. Very strange.

[irang]

The car was sparking for a lap or two, outside any DRS zone! And, with nobody in front of him.

Yeah, obviously I didn't remember it correctly. Anyways, Mark thinks something was broken.

Webber said that kerbs might have caused some damage.
“Something was broken underneath, similar to Seb in the [last] race, but not a big deal.

[myurr]

Still, it's funny (not) how the Red Bull detractors automatically say the car is illegal, despite the fact that other cars could also be seen sparking at times.

When I raised the issue I didn't say the car was illegal. I'm sure that to Red Bull's interpretation of the rules it's 100% legal, and it will only come down to whether the FIA agree or disagree with that interpretation. As the car passes scrutineering it would appear that based on the information they currently have the FIA agree that it is legal.

However, it does call into question the team's honesty about the cause of all the sparking at the last race. And if they' are lying about the cause of these issues, then what are they trying to hide?

This was a big issue for Webber today, whatever it ultimately was. He lost a lot of time in the pits, and it didn't seem that they could stop the floor from sparking. They then suffered a big coolant leak, on I believe the same side of the car that was sparking, with the team not properly noticing the leak as they sent the car out. They were also trying to patch the floor up with tape!

All in all there is definitely something going on there and the team are being very cagey about it. As such it warrants investigation and discussion, rather than shouting down.

[Ozan]

I think RB8's latest floor is illegal. it still shows sparkles like it did in india. FIA should scrutinize this car.

Even though it passed all the scrutineers tests?, damn Mclaren fans

I was a fan of Mercedes AMG though...

[ringo]

You know what,

This car has a most blatant advantage over the other cars and yet no one saw it.
It's staring us right in the face.

RB8effectively has 2 diffusers....

How you may ask?

The second diffuser is on top of the main diffuser.



The diffuser is formed by the vertical strakes and the cowling over the driveshafts, and im not being imaginative or overly creative. It doesn't look like it, but it is functioning in the same way as the main diffuser, only in a perpendicular plane. The vanes act to expand the air in just the same way, regardless of orientation. Very simple and straightforward, just not obvious. It was the proximity of the vanes to the "endplates" aka cowlings that raised the red flag.
Those cowlings are basically creating a lot of downforce. Not only that there are positive effects on surrounding body parts.
Unfortunately most teams can't copy this, so redbull are still safe. I should have realized this 5 races ago.

[raymondu999]

And the resultant low pressure above the "normal" diffuser doesn't create lift... why, exactly?

[ringo]

It's not as simple as that most times. The distance between the two relative to the chord length of the cowling will determine it.
Also keep in mind the curvature of the upper surface of the main diffuser is a factor as well.
It's not really how effective the upper one is, it's the fact that overall they have an advantage. 2 diffusers with one at 20% effectiveness is still better than 1 main diffuser, if you get what i mean.

[siskue2005]

if i am not mistaken they have that "2 diffusors" / gurney flap since Monxa 2011?
when mark crashed and they lifted his car, there were many pictures back then

[raymondu999]

Ringo - why would you even want low pressure ABOVE the "normal" diffuser - it's not sucking down on anything, but it would in fact suck up on the floor - REDUCING your net downforce.

[myurr]

Ringo - why would you even want low pressure ABOVE the "normal" diffuser - it's not sucking down on anything, but it would in fact suck up on the floor - REDUCING your net downforce.

If that were the case then any double diffuser design would be doomed to failure. Don't forget that this upper deck is operating as a fixed and sealed tunnel, so its effects on other components will only be at the point where air enters and exits that tunnel. You still have air pressure above the tunnel pushing down on the lower diffuser deck underneath the tunnel, with that force transmitted through the rigid structure of the tunnel.

* caveated with being an armchair engineer with no aero experience at all!

[raymondu999]

The double diffuser design still created the low pressure BELOW the floor - not above it. Ringo is saying they use their coke bottle as a second diffuser

[henra]

And the resultant low pressure above the "normal" diffuser doesn't create lift... why, exactly?

Hi, total newby here. Have been reading for quite some time, though.

Just out of curiosity (and probably stupid): Could they potentially try to extract air from the starter motor hole with this low pressure above the floor? A kind of little reminiscence to the double diffusers ?!

[Forza]

ABD FP3
Problems with brake system on Vettel's car. They've changed the brake calipers.

[shelly]

A ferrari insider (user fabioc) has posted on an italian forum (blogf1.it) that one of the elements of rbr performance is a special dispensation from fia which allows renault powerd cars, officially for reliability issues, to move coolant liquid between different reservoirs, thus optimising weight distribution. merc and ferrrari not allowed to do that, even if they have already asked for it.

there are other elements in rbr performance, but iirc this is the first time something like that comes up.
I think the source is reliable

[myurr]

A ferrari insider (user fabioc) has posted on an italian forum (blogf1.it) that one of the elements of rbr performance is a special dispensation from fia which allows renault powerd cars, officially for reliability issues, to move coolant liquid between different reservoirs, thus optimising weight distribution. merc and ferrrari not allowed to do that, even if they have already asked for it.

there are other elements in rbr performance, but iirc this is the first time something like that comes up.
I think the source is reliable

Very interesting, and could explain the leak Webber had on Friday.