Weird appendage on TF-16 & McLaren

Pitot tubes, to measure air speed.

 

I think Pitot tubes are part of it, but the "fences" are also there to measure the effectiveness of the front wing, and the loads being generated by the tire and suspension deflection. I think you'll also see them at the next test on the back of the car as well. they measure drag, flow and deflection and Center of pressure changes. the front wings also have a lot of telemetric data that is recorded so by comparing the two data sets against CFD and Flowvis tunnel testing they can determine further development trends.

 

I've gotta disagree a little here Tom. I don't think they're anything other than pitot tubes.

Sure, there's plenty of other sensors in the car to to measure how much downforce is being generated etc (strain gauges in the suspension and so on), but I don't see how they can do anything than measure airflow.

Totally agree they're looking to correlate the real world with tunnel & CFD data, but I fail to see how they can measure drag and CofP changes. (?)

Cheers,
Ian

 

Since this is still winter testing, it is the FIA mandated
precautionary snow fencing. Keeps snow from drifting in front of the radiator inlet.....

 

Makes sense, since some of the teams seem to have been running snow tires on Day 1 as well.

 

I had the same question. 2 years ago we were down in the Mercedes garage at COTA, and I got to talking with the guy who engineers on Rosbergs car. all he does is the front wing. he started to tell me about the sensors that are imbedded in the carbon that can tell pressure taps, and deflection, then the computers deduce the down force etc... he told me about the "fences" that they use in pre season testing. That is how they tell the effectiveness of the front wing - which generally helps flow the air to the diffuser = downforce. if the COP ( center of pressure ) moves - then the car is un stable. so the goal is to keep the COP from moving front to back as the car brakes and accelerates in and out of turns.

so my assumption is that the gates Ferrari is using do the same thing. the pressure taps along with temp, and air speed can be used ( I guess ) to calculate COP, flow etc...

Overall I was still shocked that there was so much technology in the wing! - you don't hear so much about that in the press. but the FIA also look at that telemetry to see any flexing beyond a fixed range. we are talking minute amounts here...ergo the large fences.

obviously the rules have changed since 14... but I'm sure effective diffuser and air flow management is key to overall lap time.

 

Cool stuff! Thanks! One engineer just for the front wing!

It's almost 'alarming' the amount of stuff they're constantly logging. I knew they had air flow sensors all over things, and that array takes it to another level.

+1

A large part of the reason they're all constantly developing their front wings into the crazy **** we see today! 'Push' the air around in ways it really doesn't want to go. Get it right and you'll go quicker for sure.

Cheers,
Ian

 

Close up shot.

They get used during some practice sessions too.
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Looks like they are testing the tyres.

Pitot tubes are normally mounted on the air box

 

air movement around the

using many pilot types.
Pete

 

Nope. They all run one all the time - it looks like an inverted 'L' sticking up from the bodywork not far ahead of the cockpit.

Cheers,
Ian

 

The (almost) standard implementation can be seen in Speedy's pic in post #10 above - Sticking up on the front axle centerline. It has 3 pitot tubes, whereas in 'race trim' it's just the one. (Hence I noted 'almost' standard.)

Again, these funky looking arrays are simply a bunch of pitot tubes gathering aero data that they're using to try & correlate the real world to their tunnel & CFD data.

Cheers,
Ian

 

I like the spiky dive plains - barge boards on the Mercedes I'm sure there is some diabolical reason for them... have not seen those on anyone else's car so far?

 

I don't remember which race anymore but it was during 2013 and it was super humid during Friday's practice and Vettle was screaming down the straight in the RB9. The front wing was generating these tiny contrails. Matchet was showing the super slow and highlighting the crazy path they took right into the brake duct opening. It was genius how they got the air to twist, curl, and bend off the wing elements right where the wanted.

 

Yep, that is what all the sensor fences do, is validate the CFD models are working. it is amazing what the front wing does and how it sculpts the vorticies around the car. basically the front wing's main purpose is to reduce drag produced by the wheels, and funnel enough air to the diffuser. while getting the air to lay as close to the body work as possible so it reduces drag. you would think that an F-1 car has a low CF number, but its really like a big truck... while the VW bug is more like a slippery eel.

 

+1

Those sticky out wheels are a nightmare aero wise. Not only do they have the aerodynamic properties of a brick, they're also rotating 'the wrong way'.

It's a big anachronism.

I *love* it.

If they ever need to slow them down (again), restrict the front wings to a couple of elements & my guess is they'd lose at least 4-5 seconds. If not more.

Cheers,
Ian