Lotus E21 Renault

[beelsebob]

the lotus doesn't have a hole in the tip of the nose... so the driver isn't being cooled from there.

No, my point was not that the driver was being cooled from there, my point was that if you wanted to cool the driver, there's a simpler solution than messing about with holes in the splitter and piping air around in circles. That implies that pipes in the splitter are there for something other than that.

i never mentioned the tub support i was on about the hole on the tub just above the tray (that will be pretty much infront of the drivers arse),

Okay, I can believe that the hole there is for driver cooling – I'm not convinced though that it goes through the tea tray support.

but since you mentioned the support just because other teams use a titanium rod doesn't mean lotus have to do the same maybe they get a aero benefit from running a specific shaped support

Sure, that's entirely plausible. The question is, what (if anything) is flowing through that tube. The shape of the tube (trying to avoid sharp corners anywhere) certainly seems to imply to me that there is something flowing through it, as does the hole in the tea tray under it, and the fan plugged into it.

Basically, I don't buy that the tea tray support is carrying driver cooling air. I do buy that the slot above the tea tray is. I don't buy that the two are connected to each other.

[allstaruk08]

ok I don't think you understand me. I think the hole in the middle of the tub is for cooling the driver, maybe electrics (probably not the best idea if it rains) the tray support is just that, a support, nothing is going through it, its not cooling anything. The shape of the support might direct more air into the hole in the tub. just my thought anyways.

[beelsebob]

ok I don't think you understand me. I think the hole in the middle of the tub is for cooling the driver, maybe electrics (probably not the best idea if it rains) the tray support is just that, a support, nothing is going through it, its not cooling anything. The shape of the support might direct more air into the hole in the tub. just my thought anyways.

Okay, I can buy that... Personally though I suspect that it's more than just a support. Two reasons:
1. I personally doubt there are aero advantages to splitting the air, having it rejoin behind the support, create turbulance, and then hit the splitter, though as always, I may well be wrong with anything aero related.
2. There are some obvious mechanical disadvantages to a support like this. The support's shape lends itself to neither supporting compression or tension. Under compression, it would seem to tend to fold, under tension, unfold. Either means there's clearly more weight in the support than is necessary strictly for a support.

[Owen.C93]

Furthermore redbull ran both a small thin metal support, no support, then they brought something like this, a big thick carbon support that was angled backwards.

[ringo]

Let's have a look here....

I'm going out on a limb here, as that hole may well be an ordinary cooling hole for the electronics.

That hole could be a signal hole.
And that blade on the splitter is a deflector. It may very well be that at certain speeds, that blade will divert air to the sides.
When the speed increases, the flow may stay attached and rejoin at the trailing edge and enter into the hole.
When it gets there it may act as a pressure signal or velocity component.

So at low speeds the deflector easily separates the flow, sheilding the hole from the flow. When speeds are higher and flow has very high momentum and separation is dificult, the flow goes right round the deflector and into the hole.

How does that sound?

[wesley123]

It is a bit of a reach in the dark what you named ringo, but imo it doesnt sound so bad and actually plausible

[Owen.C93]

Would be a mess with yaw though.

[zonk]

if anyone recording practice1 around 14 min in to the session You can see Lotus mechanic taking ''something'' from underneath tea tray.

[Forza]

F1 Malaysian GP - Friday - 22/3/2013

The lull in track action lets us change KERS battery on #Kimi's car, as it has a sensor issue.

New experimental @Lotus_F1Team exhaust.

[Blackout]

F1 Malaysian GP - Friday - 22/3/2013

Bumps around the exhaust exit like RBR ?

Both cars had the new FW on at the end of the session
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BF7n5ZACIAAgRq_.jpg:large
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BF7n5KmCUAAoChb.jpg:large

[flyboy2160]

Let's have a look here....How does that sound?

absolutely no sale. just look at classical flow theory around an airfoil. I disagree with your hypothesis. if anything, your scenario is backwards.

[Blackout]

Why don't F1 teams use REAMS material instead of Crbon fiber for bodywork, floor, endplates etc ?

http://www.formula1.com/inside_f1/rules ... 7/fia.html

The F1 materials list wouldn't necessarily preclude REAMS unless the secondary filler polymers (besides the primary polypropylene-which is allowed) are banned.

Despite some hooray PR about that stuff, the major reason you don't want to replace a traditional F1 carbon fiber polymer matrix composite is that the REAMS stuff is much, much less stiff than the carbon composite (say 1/30th or 1/50th or even 1/100th the stiffness) . This would mean that the structure would be deforming much more, which is not what you usually want in a high performance - high stiffness driven structure.

REAMS would make more sense in some street car applications in which the part is subject to denting - like maybe bumpers or fenders or door skins. Much like the late Pontiac Fiero.

Thanks

[Forza]

F1 Malaysian GP - Friday FP - 22/3/2013





-----

[MarkedOne8]

Kimi also has a bit different cooling accessories on the top of his helmet.

[Blackout]

New diffuser too. Gurney are gone.

Exhaust and tunnel closer to RBR's design now with bumpy outlet and narrower tunnel