Crosswinds and the Shark Fin

[strad]

Do you still think the added surface of the shark fin doesn't make them more sensitive to crosswinds?
I think Barcelona has proved my point. It only makes sense.

[Tommy Cookers]

well, I'll bite on this .....

the fin could even reduce this sensitivity
ie 'crosswind' drag component is increased but it acts closer to the CG and so the disadvantageous yaw moment is reduced

how can we think that the cars (if without a fin) aren't directionally unstable aerodynamically ? - eg the Jaguar 'D' type fin

[strad]

Yes Tommy, I'm sure you're right .

[strad]

you do realized that the more surface area for the crosswind to act upon the more effect it will have.
We are talking crosswinds.

[santos]

you do realized that the more surface area for the crosswind to act upon the more effect it will have.
We are talking crosswinds.

So why it is used in LMP1 and LMP2 cars? Don't they suffer the same effect?

[Dazed1]

Wouldn't the major problem with crosswind be in "lift" as in reducing downforce, and wouldn't the fin then kill lift by changing the car shape(viewed from the side) into a much poorer lift body? ( As a disclaimer, I don't have a damned clue what I am talking about!)

[Vyssion]

I would recommend watching these two videos for explanations on shark fins in both LMP1/2 and F1. Might save a lot of "guessing" from needing to be done here.

EDIT: For some reason I can't get the videos to embed properly... Here are the separate links
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JUyc98MvPug --- LMP1/2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzZmAD75cRA --- F1

[wesley123]

you do realized that the more surface area for the crosswind to act upon the more effect it will have.
We are talking crosswinds.

So why it is used in LMP1 and LMP2 cars? Don't they suffer the same effect?

They most likely do. However, having a negative effect in crosswinds does not defeat it's original purpose

[strad]

Neither video will play

They most likely do. However, having a negative effect in crosswinds does not defeat it's original purpose

Thank you! That was my point way back.
I am sure that the more exposed surface area does have an effect in crosswinds. We saw that at Spain. However with a good driver that can learn to expect and counter those forces, the other effects apparently more than offset the being more sensitive to crosswinds.

[strad]

Canada+ crosswinds=stability problems.
They sure didn't seem this sensitive pre shark fin.
Oh well,, I'm sure there's no correlation.