There seems to be some conjecture that Ferrari's exhaust is somehow blowing special brake ducts , although I don't see how that's possible. Inset pic is of 2011 brake duct wings Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Don't blame the engineers and designers. The rules dictate cars of unsurpassed ugliness. They're all uglier than a sack of ***holes.
the rear brake duct is massive, pretty damn sure it will be use to create some sort of down force. looking at how they sculpted the side pot, it does look like air will be channel down the same exit as the exhaust as well.
AFAIK The exhausts must now sit in small allowable area, too high and far forward to direct the exhausts towards the diffuser. The exhausts must feature just two exits and no other openings in or out are allowed. The final 10cm of the exhaust must point rearwards and slightly up (between 10-30 degrees). Allied to the exhaust position, the system of using the engine to continue driving exhaust when the driver is off the throttle pedal has also been outlawed. Lifted from scarbsF1
Ouch. What is the reason for the "no go" areas around the nose? What is the rule change that is being referenced? -F
That nose seems to be the common solution for this year. Vintage 2012 will certainly not produce the prettiest F1 cars. Here's the Caterham Image Unavailable, Please Login
I remember a couple of years ago when the new regulations for the bigger front wings and smaller rear wings came into effect, everybody cried foul (incl. me). Yet some time goes by and nobody thinks any of it anymore. This too will go the same way. At least MiniChamps can no longer just dust off the old molds and put on new stickers.
I guarantee that next year they will change the rules again to get rid of this hump. People don't like ugly cars.
IIRC, and apologies if I'm mistaken, you also claimed that RBR would not be allowed to win all the races last year.... (?) They've (the FIA) changed the rule on nose height because they don't want to see someone's head get cut off. Neither do I. If it makes for an "ugly" car, so be it. Cheers, Ian
The 2010 cars looked strangely out of proportion with the new wings. This is different. The nose is catastrophically ugly. At first I thought they mistakenly brought out the chassis that failed the crash test...
Without looking up the exact regs - the FIA set a maximum height for the bulkhead in front of the driver's feet, since F1 designers were raising the top of the nose higher and higher to get more air flowing underneath - and the concern was that the driver's ability to see forwards was being impaired. At the same time, they set a maximum (lower) height for the nose a short distance in front of that bulkhead, because they were concerned that the higher and higher noses being used were creating a danger that in a t-bone collision, the high nose would ride over the side impact protection of the sideways car and force the high nose up into the driver's cockpit area. So, if a designer wants the maximum bulkhead height, the step nose is the obvious solution. McLaren's gorgeous car without the step nose has a bulkhead well below the maximum height allowed. This means that McLaren has a different airflow management philosophy around the front of the car than any of the step nose cars... either McLaren knows something the others don't, and will have an homologated advantage for the entire season, or McLaren gambled wrong, and will have a homologated disadvantage for the entire season.
I'll still be happy if they win. I'll just have to listen to a radio broadcast rather than watch it on tv.
There have always been "uglifying" features in F1; they come and go, and that's life. Eventually the stepped noses will go away as the rules change again, and some other despicable feature will come along. Consider the following: --The high wings used in 1968 into 1969. --The tandem wings and winglets used in 1983 and 1984. --The "X-wings" and "Viking horns" that were used at times in the '90s and '00s. All of these were similarly despised at the time, but for one reason or another, they all disappeared.
Thanks for posting. Nice overview of the cars major aero features and systems. Second inlet is for the radiator in the back. I was curious about that!
The FIA have put a tight limit on the positioning and the angle at which the exhausts exit at, which is nowhere near the rear diffuser (or the brake ducts). The exhaust gases now exit in a "neutral" zone, midway up in front of the rear wing (they are trying to prevent people from having the exhaust blow directly onto the wing elements in the manner that Mercedes and Williams had been experimenting with). What it appears Ferrari are doing is using the spent air from the sidepods to blow onto the rear diffuser, in a similar way to last years exhausts. This will have no effect on downforce at low speed (likr the blowing exhausts did), but will probably provide a bit of useful additional downforce in medium to high speed corners. That's an interesting point, the angle of the step could well be designed to create a downforce pressure point on the front axle giving more front grip in medium to high speed corners (and help to balance out the rear end grip mentioned above). It may possibly also help deflect air up to the air box (and secondary intakes), and into the the airflow for rear wing. As others have already said, It's as ugly as hell but if it wins races then all will be forgiven (almost!).
