future F1 cars

[USAF1FAN]

i think the limit to the ultimate speeds of a formula one car is the human body and how much forces it can take... then comes the safety issue as well.

You are quite right--the driver is the limitation. But without eliminating the driver there could be a race series that allows technology to run free with relatively few regulations. Imagine eliminating spectators and building a huge, high speed road course in a desert, a race designed for television only. No pit stops allowed and disabled cars would be immediately removed by helicopter. The course would be designed without garages, spectator stands, etc. It would have to be designed to provide virtually unlimited runoff with little chance of contact, except with cars racing each other.

The regulations would focus on safety. Maybe the chassis would have to provide a driver compression area where a driver capsule could move 100 centimeters in all directions, aided by airbags or some other restraint.

It's just fantasy, but fun to think about.

[ginsu]

I like the idea of that. With huge turns, maybe a mile or two in radius. You could do some truly awesome speeds. Just imagine what the onboard video would look like.

[King of Spades]

I remember F1 Racing magazine did an article about this (i.e. what F1 cars would look like if most of the regs were relaxed) a year-or-two ago. They suggested a 6-wheeler that would easily go seven seconds per lap faster around Silverstone than whatever cars were contemporary when the article was published. If memory serves, they said that human endurance would be the limiting factor.

[Grated]

There once was one with 6 wheels. Think it was a pretty good car...

Don't really know if it was really good... It's like a lot of years ago since I had an F1site

[Spencifer_Murphy]

there were a few 6-wheelers. The most famous was the Tyrell P34. Was quite a good car. It had 4wheels at the front for extra grip entering corners, the wheels were smaller in diameter to lower aerodynamic drag.

The other was a Williams...I think the FW07C, or sumthing like that. It has 4wheels at the back for better traction out of corners.

[dumrick]

Six-wheelers in the F1 world championship:

- Kurtis Kraft-Offenhauser KK500G "Pat Clancy Special" (1957);

- Tyrrell P34 (1976/1977);

- March 240/771 (1977, never started a race);

- Ferrari 312T6 (1976, never raced);

- Williams FW08B (1982, never raced).

Eight wheelers!!!!!!!!

- Ferrari 312T8 (1976, only studied)

[Spencifer_Murphy]

There was an eight wheeler?! Have u got nemore info on that?!

[dumrick]

Not quite... it never REALLY existed, but Ferrari made a mock-up picture of it to distract the press.

The Italian magazines of the day even printed diagrams of a fanciful project called 312T8 with, you guessed it, eight wheels! To make it almost unworldly, it would have four axles, so a P34 front and a 2-4-0 rear. Of course this car never existed, Ferrari soon admitting to a design exercise to keep their engineers on their toes…

in http://www.forix.com/8w/sixwheelers.html

[dumrick]

The hoax!!!!!

[Tom]

I believe that the P34 won its maiden race at Sweden, however that was it.
Also tractor company, Ferguson, made a 4WD car which won a round at Oulton Park.
Another famously banned idea was the remarkable Bradham fan car, which used a fan to cool the engine, and literaly suck the car to the ground!

[DaveKillens]

One thing I heard about the six wheel Tyrell was it's potential for wet weather braking. Imagine the front tyres squeegee the water out of the way. That leaves the second set with much better surface conditions to find traction.
It's a shame we don't see multiple wheeled racing cars, it would be wonderfull to see their potential realized. With more modern technology, we could see eight wheel steering, four, maybe eight wheel drive.

[manchild]

What about this?

[Bender]

Interesting concept Manchild. looks like it could eat small children...or bernie

anywho, i found this article at popsci.com interesting
http://www.popsci.com/popsci/futurecar/ ... drcrd.html

it describes the challenges of a "no rules" formula racer, interesting if you are a little bit sadistic

[dumrick]

That looks like a Can-Am car from the future!!!!!

Off-topic, but in the theme "strange-looking racing cars", this one is very real:





It's the "Adams Escort Can-Am" from 1983...
Found it a few days ago... of course it has the engine in one side and the driver in the other... and of course it has known no sucess!

Just felt like introducing you guys this, inspired from Manchild's monster...

[djsurge]

I remember F1 Racing Magazine did a article on a BMW Williams 6 wheeler F1 Car and it was said then that the car was so aerodynamicly efficent the about 8 Gs were the maximum forces and so if a human was to drive it it would have to wear G-Suits. I was all theroy but the whole engine cowling was a rear wing.