Can aero be designed "offensively"

[SlowSteve]

I was wondering if it would be possible/practical for the teams to design Aero in a way that specifically made passing harder.

Could they, for example, sacrifice a percentage of downforce for a significant increase in turbulance in their wake in order to disrupt following teams D/F levels?

Thanks

Steve

[mattia.bobbo]

Every race goal is to go faster, not slower. No reason in trying to avoid being passed by going slower. This is just one of the million reasons that the idea of creating disturbing turbulence is stupid. Others are:
-increase of fuel consumption
-more drag=less speed
-95% of all overtakes are made on straights: you can produce all kind of turbolence you want but I'll always have an advantage in top speed at the end of the straight

[ojlopez]

It makes sense to me, because it would not matter if you were slower in the straight If the other car can't get close enough for passing due to extreme buffeting.

[Tim.Wright]

Offensive aero you say?


Bear in mind, and tricks you try to play by introducing turbulence are likely to make slip-streaming you even easier.

[wesley123]

This is an idea that comes up from time to time, I really don't know why.

Why would you willingly reduce your own downforce, increase your own drag(and thus increase fuel consumption, requiring you to save fuel and thus reduce engine performance) just to create a bit more wake? The wake of an F1 car is large enough already, you ruining your own aero to spoil it for the guy behind wont add much to the wake.

Plus, there is this thing called "qualifying" where cars try to lap as fast as possible for their grid position in the race, which influences their finishing position for the race.

Also, as this wake reduces the downforce of the car behind, so does it's drag, making slipstreaming easier.

[turbof1]

There is no such thing as designing your aero package on purpose to aero-wise sabotage the car behind you. Such a "philosophy" would only be a compromise on performance.

Teams probably will be happy if any performance enhancement comes along with something that disturbs the airflow of the chasing car, but it certainly is not nor ever will be a goal on its own.

[J.A.W.]

An exception might be in dirty weather/wet conditions, when a directed vortex of detritus/spray
- could perhaps be designed - to be flung straight into to the face of the following driver?

[wesley123]

Why would they?

[J.A.W.]

To be - 'in your face'- ?

Or if you are a 'Dick Dastardly/Bender' type of character - perhaps?

[strad]

They already work on disturbing the air for the following car.?.?.?