The possible secret behind the hidden rear end
So with the gearbox repackaged by Mercedes, it's likely that Aston Martin might have gone for the
sauce pan diffuser (unnumbered one).
- The Mercedes 2022 W13 started off with this but looked more like number 3 (see image above) and well you can see it from the post back in 2022 (at the end of post).
- Excessive porpoising meant they slowly moved to a standard system like number 1, while Red bull and some teams developed to something like the number 2
- By 2023 some teams had a variation of 2 while I think Aston martin still ran a simple one like number 1 till the end (they had a edgier version, green line in image at Canada I think but dropped it at brasil)
- For this year with the repackged gear box, Aston Martin might have come up with something like a mix of 2 and 3 (so like the un numbered one in the picture above, its a bad example though).
- The benefits
- it can give downforce at both low and medium speed corners (based on the eddy generation at different speeds, especially effective at medium speed corners)
- Can help in cutting drag at high speed corners, while producing more downforce than a number 2 style diffuser. So mitigating what the W13 had with the number 3 shape it started out with
- Massive gain in lap times if it works (+0.5 to +2 seconds, proof, 2022 Merc F1 W13's random pace at different tracks, remember it's shape was more like number 3 so much draggier as well)
- The Cons
- prone to cause bouncing as stalling creates eddies which can't be controlled so somewhat unpredictable to set-up.
- The wider hanging side pods should help act as a mass damper if the rumours about the radiators being placed far out is true so adding ballast could be used as a way to control it at different tracks.
- Still a Draggier diffuser design than the number 2 shape (5-10kph slower ball park, not backed by data)
- Will have to run softer rear set-up but I guess pushrods will help with that Tension rather than compression (this is complicated to explain).
Mercedes definitely also have something similar cooked up so let's wait and see.
From W13 post back in 2022
ojir19 wrote: ↑22 Feb 2022, 09:30
dans79 wrote: ↑22 Feb 2022, 08:43
Care to explain? That shot is so blurry I'm having a hard time telling what I'm looking at.
to my understanding, racingcar bottom floor mostly are shaped like #1 or #2, either it is flat or convex, to maximize the ventury effect and create smooth flow transition ...... what I saw on W13, there is a concave curve before the end of the floor .... could it be they try to create a partially stalled flow ? (for some reason).... just like GMA T50
* forgive my english, this isnt my mother language
