Alternatives to DRS

[BigBird]

I am still sceptical of DRS. It seems to be giving an advantage to a car to compensate it having a disadvantage elsewhere (where the slip stream reduces the downforce and hence cornering speed of a trailing car). It seems that a much more logical solution would be to allow a temporary increase in downforce when going round the corner to negate the detrimental effect of the slipstream. This could then be used preferentially in a similar fashion to DRS

Is this possible? I have been thinking, could flip-ups be used? Or could the beam wing be used? Or could changing the seperation between the main wing and the DRS flap increase the downforce. From what I understand it, the vortices produced by the front wing are on such a limit that an increase in front wing would make these vortices unstable, making the whole vehicle unstable.

I would be intrigued to hear other peoples thoughts on this area...

[Cuky]

You see, when following car in front of you problem is that you loose grip on front tires, not rear. Yes you loose both, but for higher cornering speed you need better front grip so that front tires can steer car into the corner. So you'll need to increase front wing downforce. There was tool introduced in 2009 which enabled drivers to change angle of front wing while on track, but it didn't prove it self worthy so it was abandoned at the end of 2010.

[kilcoo316]

The mistake with the VG front wing was not making it automatic.


No way could a driver be expected to accurately set the car aero-balance right through a corner by adjusting front wing angle when following another car.

[BigBird]

As I tried to explain, I am of the understanding, also, that a step change in angle of attack, like we have with DRS, would make the car unstable and impossible to drive, particularly if this happens in a corner. Although, I guess, it might be possible to do this step just as you apply the brakes, such that this automatically triggers the front wing to increase in angle of attack.

[Lycoming]

mid corner is not a good place to interfere with balance, which adding DF at only the front or rear would do.

I would have suggested airbrakes, similar to the type you find on a mooney m20. This style works in pure drag, not like what commercial jetliners have, which also affect the lift being produced by the wings. The idea is that what fans enjoy watching is not 1 car cruising past another totally defenceless car down the back straight, but rather to see them really fighting it out in the braking zones, with more opportunity for banzai moves like the one kobayashi pulled on alonso in valencia 2010.

Such a device actually still affects balance under braking, unless it were mounted at the center of mass height. that's certainly one problem with it, though adjusting the brake balance frequently would be nothing new, and KERS arguably screws with brake balance more, when it isn't working properly. Im sure there are myriad other issues that go along with this, including the fact that braking Gs are already insane... but thats my idea.

[BigBird]

Air brakes are never going to be used. If you commit to a corner, assuming you can brake later and the system fails, you won't be able to brake in time with potentially pretty nasty consequences. The regulations of DRS have been designed very carefully so that if the system fails, the car is left in the high drag state. I don' see how this would be immediately possible with an air brake.

[NowyszRacing6]

Natural drafting

[piast9]

I am of the opinion that since the introduction of new turbocharged engines in F1 there's no need for DRS. Previously the overtaking was limited by several factors but one of them was hitting a rev limiter on the staights which eliminated successful drafting. Now it is not a problem and on the tracks with long straights there is no need for DRS any more.

[Blackout]

More ground effect; bigger diffuser. Les wing DF; smaller and simpler FW.

[olefud]

Air brakes tend to dirty up the air. Maybe I’m missing the point; but isn’t a fuel flow limit pretty much the equivalent of a rev limit?
The better course would seem to be undercar downforce, i.e. a diffuser to quite the air. Properly defined, i.e. limiting vortex generation, the diffuser slows the air and increases pressure.