Renault R31

[myurr]

I'm starting to buy into this a bit more. Throughout this autosport article James Alison keeps hinting that they've done something significant with the exhaust: http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89169

[PlatinumZealot]

BS!

You can obviously see the molding for exhaust under the rear wishbones. You can even see the heat resistant material out back. There is only kevlar/carbon fibre mix at the front. Kevlar is flame resistant, but the continuous temprature rating is not that high ~ 400C. Not to mention by running two phat 3 inch pipes under the car, you'll be baking every god damn thing under the driver.

The molds are there guys, just think for you selves. The skirt at the where is where the exhaust comes out. Last year an emphasis was placed on evening out the energy distribution of the hot gases from the exhaust. Putting the exhaust at the front will only serve to destroy that with huge amount of turbulence seen as the air makes it's way to the back.

If I'm wrong. I will change my avatar to a picture of HRT driver Sakon Yamamto for two weeks.

[adrianjordan]

Is there any way within the rules that they could exit the exhausts underneath the car and would this have any benefits?

[i70q7m7ghw]

BS!

You can obviously see the molding for exhaust under the rear wishbones. You can even see the heat resistant material out back. There is only kevlar/carbon fibre mix at the front. Kevlar is flame resistant, but the continuous temprature rating is not that high ~ 400C. Not to mention by running two phat 3 inch pipes under the car, you'll be baking every god damn thing under the driver.

The molds are there guys, just think for you selves. The skirt at the where is where the exhaust comes out. Last year an emphasis was placed on evening out the energy distribution of the hot gases from the exhaust. Putting the exhaust at the front will only serve to destroy that with huge amount of turbulence seen as the air makes it's way to the back.

If I'm wrong. I will change my avatar to a picture of HRT driver Sakon Yamamto for two weeks.

+1

Ps. I know this because I also have a friend inside Lotus Renault GP, ofcourse I can't tell you their name because they'll get sacked.

[Giblet]

Well there has to be something going on somewhere, because in shape alone the car is hardly at the brave end of brave.

[i70q7m7ghw]

Well there has to be something going on somewhere, because in shape alone the car is hardly at the brave end of brave.

It's just marketing bs. I bet the McLaren won't be 'drastic' either.

[secretf1]

BS!

You can obviously see the molding for exhaust under the rear wishbones. You can even see the heat resistant material out back. There is only kevlar/carbon fibre mix at the front. Kevlar is flame resistant, but the continuous temprature rating is not that high ~ 400C. Not to mention by running two phat 3 inch pipes under the car, you'll be baking every god damn thing under the driver.

The molds are there guys, just think for you selves. The skirt at the where is where the exhaust comes out. Last year an emphasis was placed on evening out the energy distribution of the hot gases from the exhaust. Putting the exhaust at the front will only serve to destroy that with huge amount of turbulence seen as the air makes it's way to the back.

If I'm wrong. I will change my avatar to a picture of HRT driver Sakon Yamamto for two weeks.

Apparently there is a massive difference between the car they show at launch, and the car that comes out at testing.

I take on board your points and was pretty amazed when told about the concept myself.

If my source is BS'ing me, then not only shall I beat him/her with a large stick, I shall actually get an avatar, and I shall pick Patrick Friesacher for two weeks first...

[Giblet]

Well there has to be something going on somewhere, because in shape alone the car is hardly at the brave end of brave.

It's just marketing bs. I bet the McLaren won't be 'drastic' either.

You sound as dismissive as everyone did last year about the FDuct and it's intake, which was 'just for cooling'.

Funny that you and someone else both have sources on the same team, saying two different things.

Thing is, usually where there is smoke, there is some fire. Not being able to see anything resembling an exhaust outlet on the back combined with rumors that it doesn't exit there but up front, combined with more subtle talk from the team that something is very unique with the exhaust keeps the mind going.

They should have painted fake exhausts on the car like Red Bull did last year

[horse]

Aerodynamically I think it might be a goer. I don't think turbulence is such an issue, as you are just trying to trip the boundary layer at the transition to the diffuser opening. The question I would have is about mixing and loss of temperature by the time the gases reached the diffuser - would the air still be excited by the time it got there?

Also, there must be other mechanical issues with such a layout. Would there not be some back pressure on the exhaust itself and would this not impair engine performance? I'm no engine buff but I've never seen exhausts pointing in the direction of motion before.

[raymondu999]

He only says the exhaust is redesigned, and that it's an evolution. Regarding BS, teams always BS anyways, so what's new? Merc GP said last year that the Barcelona-test-car would be 40% different to the Bahrain one, but that didn't stop them from looking identical.

[mith]

I love that highres photo, Blackout!

Airbox looks really thin. On the other hand sidepods are bit bulkier than those of F150 but still nice.

I wonder about two things.

First is that 'pipe' thing on the nose just under 'R' letter from 'Renault'. What's that for? Is it for cooling drivers, for mounting some GPS stuff or what else could that be?

Second are those step-like things, which can be seen where sidepods inlets meets with the end of nose. The lower one is around 'L' letter from 'Lada' and the upper is around 'eel' letters from 'TW Steel', just below mirror. There's nothing like that on F150 and C30. What might be the purpose of it?*

And last but not least, I though there's removable panel on the outer side of rear wing endplate, but now it look more like a slit to me. I can't see one on the inside side of the endplate.

[mclaren777]

See the comparisons between all the cars that are already launched:



Edit: It looks like there is some problem with pic...

Any chance you could rehost it somewhere else?

[Blackout]

Second are those step-like things, which can be seen where sidepods inlets meets with the end of nose. The lower one is around 'L' letter from 'Lada' and the upper is around 'eel' letters from 'TW Steel', just below mirror. There's nothing like that on F150 and C30. What might be the purpose of it?*

Like I said, that are additionnal crash structures. F150 has one on each sidepod. R31 has two.

[ringo]

The car is beautiful, i love it.

The rear end is tight. The little skirting around the diffuser could basically another deck. that is the brave part. It keeps the exhasut nice and steady until it unleashes ino the gurneys and over the diffuser.
Ramming the exhausts through there seems pretty brave.

[mith]

Thanks a lot, Blackout.