2017-2020 Aerodynamic Regulations Thread

[M840TR]

Very interesting read. So if I stand corrected, the number of flaps are being increased for next year too? And will that dictate low-rake philosophies diverting the vortexes from front wing underneath the floor, since apparently the absence of outwash means no floor sealing?

[jjn9128]

Very interesting read. So if I stand corrected, the number of flaps are being increased for next year too? And will that dictate low-rake philosophies diverting the vortexes from front wing underneath the floor, since apparently the absence of outwash means no floor sealing?

Thanks. We try Andy/turbof1's drawings are especially good again!

Next year the front wing span (width) is being increased and the number of elements (closed wing sections) is being limited to 5 per-side, which cannot overlap beyond a set limit - currently with the cascades/upper flaps the number of individual elements can be <13 near the endplates. There are also a bunch of new rules about the endplate which haven't been released by the FIA, like how much camber it can have, no holes and a simple vertical projection.

My thought on lower rake angles is that because the number of elements in being reduced the teams will find it harder to keep the front wing flow attached when the car pitches forwards under braking. This may not come to pass - it was just a thought. With 200+ aerodynamicists per team they can come up with solutions to quickly regain what they had.

The complex vortex system in the endplate area is less about floor sealing and more about front wheel wake management. The wider span should help to some degree as the low pressure under and behind the wing will be imposed onto the high pressure region on the front face of the tyre - cancelling it somewhat. Expect to see a lot of high camber wings in the tip region - like the Williams concept from testing (though their flap was illegal with 6 elements, I feel this was to reduce manufacturing and keep some parts of the flow consistent to their 2018 car) - to drive flow over the tyre!!

The reduction of elements will also have an effect on the Y250 generation - that said they are also moving the bargeboards 150mm forwards on the car, which will mitigate that loss.

I'm expecting the 2019 rules to be published to the public late-September to mid-October, as has been the pattern of previous years. We'll know the exact wording then!!!

[djos]

Jin any chance you could comment on my assumptions please?

Interesting comments regarding the removal of rake, I'd have thought teams like RedBull and Ferrari would be forced to abandon rake in their cars due to the loss of the out wash turning vanes and front Axel blowing. Without these tools I'd have thought they'd no longer be able to seal the sides of the floor and that would be the reason to abandon rake?

[jjn9128]

Jin any chance you could comment on my assumptions please?

Interesting comments regarding the removal of rake, I'd have thought teams like RedBull and Ferrari would be forced to abandon rake in their cars due to the loss of the out wash turning vanes and front Axel blowing. Without these tools I'd have thought they'd no longer be able to seal the sides of the floor and that would be the reason to abandon rake?

The floor sealing, as it were, is aided by the y250, bargeboards, sidepod undercut, and floor scrolls and slots. I think the front wing changes will make a minimal difference to this (the y250 may be slightly weaker, but the bargeboards are further forward so they can start their work earlier). The full span on the wing should aid the size of the front tyre wake and make these structures a bit less vital.

I'm not even sure if they will reduce the rake... it was a just a thought that maybe they might.

[djos]

fascinating, thanks Jin, always good to hear from someone who has studied aero.

I look forward to seeing more of your articles.

[Flying JPS Lotus]

Real high quality shot of the FI with the 2019 spec front wing.

[roon]

How about VJM01 mirrors for this formula?

[M840TR]

CFD images of comparison between 2018 and 2019 aero change.



Visible effect of reduced outwash. Tyre wake staying closer to the car and hence diffuser.



View from rear end. Notice reduced outwash on the sides of the rear wheels.



Air effecting following car.











via AMuS

[jjn9128]

CFD images of comparison between 2018 and 2019 aero change.

Interesting. Not sure it's an entirely legal 2019 car as I can see vanes on the front brake ducts, but it does highlight that there will be a difference. The top render is not the car which was used in the CFD.

Not sure you can see outwash on a total pressure contour but the wake is certainly narrower. Numbers would be more interesting to see IMHO as they affect wake values - so what is their Cz/Cx - what is the effect of 2019 rules on Cz/Cx - what is the effect of another car on Cz/Cx - what is their axial separation? ...etc

[M840TR]

CFD images of comparison between 2018 and 2019 aero change.

Interesting. Not sure it's an entirely legal 2019 car as I can see vanes on the front brake ducts, but it does highlight that there will be a difference. The top render is not the car which was used in the CFD.

Not sure you can see outwash on a total pressure contour but the wake is certainly narrower. Numbers would be more interesting to see IMHO as they affect wake values - so what is their Cz/Cx - what is the effect of 2019 rules on Cz/Cx - what is the effect of another car on Cz/Cx - what is their axial separation? ...etc

I think these are from the initial study done by FOM so might be a bit rough on the edges. Numbers would give more insight but I'm not sure they'll be published.
Can you explain the mechanisms at work in the vertical images above?

[jjn9128]

I think these are from the initial study done by FOM so might be a bit rough on the edges. Numbers would give more insight but I'm not sure they'll be published.

Hmmmmm I wouldn't have though FOM would release those... but that front brake duct vane and the wheel cone design do look like the 2017 Manor - which FOM are using for their research.


The rear impact structure shape looks similar too.

Can you explain the mechanisms at work in the vertical images above?

At the very back of the car you have something a bit like this, which you can sort of see in the images.

The dominant vortex structures are the rear wing tip pair, which pulls all the other wake structures into a "mushroom" shape. Less outwash around the front wheels means the wake is narrower around the car so the mushroom stem (the bit which really affects a following car) is made narrower. You can see the effect of that on the slice through the front axle where the cleaner air (white) is more visible around the wheels. Meaning the car will be losing less downforce. You can also see some of the front wing cascade vortices in the 2018 image which are no longer there in the 2019 image.

[ESPImperium]

Ive pretty much decided that the front wing needs to be brought back to a in wash wing, think circa 2008 front wing, but in the present regulation formula with it all being nice and flat.

However, id jack the rear wings to be an extra 150mm higher and just 50mm wider. However, id allow the teams to run with a 35mm side skirt in the floor, however it would only be allowed for the 1200mm in front of the rear wheel axle line. With a rear diffuser increase of 35mm, i think it would give the cars more downforce yes, but it would make the aero balance more rearward.

And as for DRS, it would be limited to 200 seconds (3min 20 Seconds) of usage per race per driver, but it would go back to usage on anywhere on the track that is deemed safe to do so, the GPS would fail the DRS 150m before corners like Au Rouge/Radion or Blanchimont, no 1 second garbage.

[Zynerji]

Unlimited DRS shows what drivers have the ball's. I miss when qualifying was like that...

[diffuser]

Unlimited DRS shows what drivers have the ball's. I miss when qualifying was like that...

I was surprised by the results of adding a 3ird DRS section to the Montreal track. It turned the track from a low downforce circuit to a high DF circuit. effectively all the sections you took rear wing off for were eliminated. Ironically it reduced passing at the MTL race this year. Not sure if that was a 1 off.

[F1NAC]

New rear wing position will be discussed on stratery group meeting. 50 mm higher than now for next year for better visibilty. Also new mirror positions

The new rules will include the raising of the rear wing by 50mm in order to create a bigger window of visibility between the lower surface of the main plane and the top surface of the sidepod.

Furthermore, a more prescriptive mirror position will be laid out in the rules – with them being lower and more outboard to ensure they are situated in a better place for the drivers.

There will also be more stricter rules on mirror mountings to try to ensure teams do not put performance gains over safety matters.