Red Bull RB5

[timbo]

You think its not going to work? Prehaps they ahve taken too much of a risk? Im hoping its a master stroke. Been balsy to go in a complete different direction to everyone else.

I'm not sure it is completely different direction. It is still double wishbone setup. I think that the most probable outcome would be is that they would spend a year with it, learn that it does not make night and day difference and get back to the pullrod which is simply more convenient.

[timbo]

Meanwhile Vettel posted 1.19.055 which is only about a second slower than best time for 2008 cars.

[xpensive]

Agree with timbo, though I think it might come sooner, I wouldn't be surprised to see the pull-rod itself change anyway.

[modbaraban]

Isn't there something missing for the originl RB5 front suspension?

[bassimon]

@ modbaraban

I guess it is the angle this photo is taken from that traps you. The tie rod is partially hidden by the front arm of the upper wishbone.

[modbaraban]

@ modbarABan

I guess it is the angle this photo is taken from that traps you. The tie rod is partially hidden by the front arm of the upper wishbone.

I guess so. It's there on other pictures of today's testing.

[DM0407]

the question with RBR has been and allways will be reliability.

Forever and ever is a very long time (look at how McLaren have transformed themselves over the last two years), but....

Was this about the same time Newey left for RBR?

[Agerasia]

Well, it's certainly not slow.

[Ian P.]

xpensive wrote:
On the subject of balaclavas, anyone for a wager that RBR will radically re-design the rear suspension over the season?

You think its not going to work? Prehaps they ahve taken too much of a risk? Im hoping its a master stroke. Been balsy to go in a complete different direction to everyone else.

My money is on the other teams burning the midnight oil to see if they can copy the RB5.
Minardi was the last hold-out of the Pull-rod front suspension but the major disadvantage of this is it doesn't fit with the high nose, a compulsory feature of th current aero regs.
At the rear, when diffusers were longer and more effective, there was a need to get the suspension components out from under the car to a place on top of the gear-box. Now that the diffuser regs are changed, there seems to be a bigger benefit to cleaning up the aero below the main rear wing behind the engine, an area where the RB5 is waaaay ahead of the other teams. Compare the RB5 to the Renault, HUGH difference.
Pull or Push, is no real difference for the suspension action or the way the shocks work. It would be more difficult to incorporate the third damper, but I understood this was falling out of favor anyway. The pull system is really about packaging and getting the best possible air-flow to the lower wing.
Kudos to the RB5 team. Only 4 more weeks.....

[xpensive]

Obviously, the suspension geometry, center of gravity and aerodynamics will all work according to plan. My concern is for accessability and that shrouded pull-rod, which seems like a little too much of a compromise to me.

[modbaraban]

What's the advantage of limiting the diffuser width? All the other cars' diffusers are wider than the rear wing.

[Agerasia]

What's the advantage of limiting the diffuser width? All the other cars' diffusers are wider than the rear wing.

So that they meet with the sides of the rear wing at the bottom.
EDIT: Sorry you asked what the advantage was. It basically extends the diffuser slightly. It's hard to see but the rear wing sides bend outwards as well.

[modbaraban]

So that they meet with the sides of the rear wing at the bottom.

And that helps... how?

Besides why not have the best of both solutions by adding some additional channels on the sides:


Also RB5 has quite a clearance under the rear wing where most cars have wing supports and additional planes. Maybe the flow under the wing help diffuser so much that they need most of the diffuser air exit down the middle. I guess that may accelerate the flow. Oh, I almost forgot to add the exhaust exits to the equasion. Hmmm

[xpensive]

Come on mod, diffuser meeting with the wing makes it look great, can't you tell, which means the world for us picture-aerodynamicists!

[flynfrog]

ok the hottness of slicks almost makes up for the rear wing