Red Bull RB9 Renault

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Could be the lighting but it looks like the innermost floor strake ahead of the rear tyre has grown exponentially!!


via Sutton

[Forza]

Monaco GP - Thursday - 23/5/13

[stefan_]

[henra]

I totally disagree with the notion that Red Bull lack in low speed traction, IMO that is one area where they excell, certainly in the last couple of seasons.

I tend to agree with @beelsebob.

To me it seems the really low Speed (read mechanical) traction of RB isn't that impressive. The starts are rarely impressive, often distinctly unimpressive, in the hands of MW sometimes terrible. Despite short gearing.
It is their capability to carry through more Speed and accelerate earlier out of the turns which separates them somewhat from the competition. That gains them an advantage epecially at the beginning of a straight. It takes a rather long straight to equalize this advantage.
Therefore they are strong on tracks with short straights. Monaco is a prime example for such a circuit.
The short gearing seems to be integral part of that stategy. They sacrifice significant top speed to this philosophy.
That they can run a high top speed setup if they chose to. You could see this last year when they changed gears on SV's car when he had to start from the back of the grid. Suddenly the RB8 was flying on the straights.

[Pierce89]

Lazenby on SkyF1 talking about RB; 'we all know they have the best car, certainly in terms of downforce'

I imagine poor old Bob has just smashed his tv.

Or he just realized that Lazenby doesn't understand f1 any better than the average fan.

[beelsebob]

Lazenby on SkyF1 talking about RB; 'we all know they have the best car, certainly in terms of downforce'

I imagine poor old Bob has just smashed his tv.

Or he just realized that Lazenby doesn't understand f1 any better than the average fan.

Aaand... this is why I enjoy the BBC more than Sky... Because joking around but still being competent is better than serious and incompetent ;P

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Ok so I've scoured through photo after photo after photo. I cannot find a good clear photo of the RB9 FW or at least the version/iteration I'm specifically looking for. In the picture below it looks as though RB have introduced a small slot(similar to Ferrari) in the FWEP foot plate. Some photos seem to hint/appear indeed there is something there and others it appears there isn't. This could be different FW iterations/versions or something else. But the photo below is very interesting because there is no explanation(I can think of) to explain this anomaly away and no previous RB9 FW versions that look the same.



via Sutton

Original

[Robbobnob]

I totally disagree with the notion that Red Bull lack in low speed traction, IMO that is one area where they excell, certainly in the last couple of seasons.

I tend to agree with @beelsebob.

To me it seems the really low Speed (read mechanical) traction of RB isn't that impressive. The starts are rarely impressive, often distinctly unimpressive, in the hands of MW sometimes terrible. Despite short gearing.
It is their capability to carry through more Speed and accelerate earlier out of the turns which separates them somewhat from the competition. That gains them an advantage epecially at the beginning of a straight. It takes a rather long straight to equalize this advantage.
Therefore they are strong on tracks with short straights. Monaco is a prime example for such a circuit.
The short gearing seems to be integral part of that stategy. They sacrifice significant top speed to this philosophy.
That they can run a high top speed setup if they chose to. You could see this last year when they changed gears on SV's car when he had to start from the back of the grid. Suddenly the RB8 was flying on the straights.

Start performance isnt a good indicator of Mechanical grip superiority. All cars on the grid have the same tyres with the same mandated weight distribution, and the only variations being individual car camber and tyre pressures, the actual variation in mechanical grip is negligible. Starts are more a direct result of Torque map settings, KERS utilisation, Clutch slippage and grid slot.

[Robbobnob]

https://imageshack.us/scaled/large/13/rbrx.jpg

Im curious as to the purpose of these 'speed holes'

All that comes to mind is to trip the boundary layer, but could possibly be fine tuning the weight of the tray for harmonic purposes.

Any theories.

[timbo]

but could possibly be fine tuning the weight of the tray for harmonic purposes.

This seems plausible. Doesn't look like anything to do with boundary layer, and actually seems like the holes have splines in them.

[beelsebob]

I have to say, after watching today's race, I may be convinced that I was wrong about the RBR's low speed traction. Webber was clearly getting significantly better traction than Hamilton both into the tunnel, and up the start/finish "straight".

[timbo]

I have to say, after watching today's race, I may be convinced that I was wrong about the RBR's low speed traction. Webber was clearly getting significantly better traction than Hamilton both into the tunnel, and up the start/finish "straight".

Who knows, "Monaco traction" is different to other tracks "traction".

[Robbobnob]

I have to say, after watching today's race, I may be convinced that I was wrong about the RBR's low speed traction. Webber was clearly getting significantly better traction than Hamilton both into the tunnel, and up the start/finish "straight".

The car was certainly impressive race long in both Webber and Vettels hands. I was fairly confident that their low speed traction was very good, however what perplexes me is Mercedes pace advantage on low fuel.

[SectorOne]

I have to say, after watching today's race, I may be convinced that I was wrong about the RBR's low speed traction. Webber was clearly getting significantly better traction than Hamilton both into the tunnel, and up the start/finish "straight".

Think gearing played a massive role there.
This is probably why they topped the speed traps, they have the fastest acceleration of any team.

The RB had nothing to set against the Merc on low fuel or in the race except for the first couple of laps.
Everytime Vettel did something they responded.

[lio007]

according to AMuS RB used a new FW after disappointing FP1+2
http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/form ... 75646.html