BMW To Use Double Diffuser at Turkish GP
#1
05-29-2009, 07:05 PM
BMW To Use Double Diffuser at Turkish GP
If this is their big "upgrade package" don't look for it to pay dividends right off the bat. Red Bull has struggled with their trick diffuser.
#5
05-30-2009, 03:55 AM
The first thing to understand is the meaning of "downforce." Downforce is dynamic energy produced by a combination of air resistance and gravity. It is actually "negative lift." Downforce is what is created by air travelling over the car - rather then under it - thereby creating pressure that plants the car on the road. If handled properly, downforce can increase with speed thereby actually giving you more control as the car gets faster. Without downforce, F1 cars would actually take flight at speed and crash miserably.
That being understood, now let's move on to the real story . . .
This year F1 made a myriad of changes to its technical regulations. The largest change was that there could no longer be any "moving aerodynamic parts" on the car. In other words, no more of those fancy wings and blades turning and spinning all over the car. All aerodynamic impliments had to be "fixed". This resulted in a loss of downforce in all F1 cars. While the engines are basically the same - barring a new rev limit - the aerodynamic downforce of the car was significantly decreased. So while there was still a ton of power, you could no longer translate it to the road because the car would slide all over the place. Thus the saying: power is nothing without control.
In comes Ross Brawn. Brawn figured out an ingenious piece of aerodynamic technology that increased downforce back to and beyond prior levels - the "trick diffuser." A "diffuser" is the aerodynamic piece that is placed on the underside of the rear end of a F1 car. It helps "diffuse" the flow of air that would otherwise travel under the car giving it "lift" and decreasing downforce. This allows the F1 driver to translate more of the engine power to the road while maintaining control over the race car.
There is really no way that Brawn could keep the trick diffuser a secret. Far from it. Other teams knew what he was developing. But his trick diffuser ran so close to violating the new regulations that other teams saw it as too great a gamble. Brawn had basically developed his car from the ground up around this part. Other teams would have had to spend millions and go back to the drawing board to adapt. What made things worse for Ferrari and McLaren was that they were both locked in a championship battle until the very end of 2008 which left them no time to make such changes. So the big boys relied on the regulations to save them. They claimed that the trick diffuser was a "moving aerodynamic" part and that it was illegal. They were so sure of themselves that none of them developed a trick diffuser "just in case" they were wrong and the FIA found against them. Monumental blunder.
Well, we all know now that Ross Brawn was right and everyone else was wrong. The FIA held that the trick diffuser was not against the regulations and that Brawn GP was free to use it. Being the only team on the grid that had it, and with so much more downforce than everyone else, Brawn GP stomped everyone in preseason testing. Most thought this was a fluke until we reached Australia and Brawn crushed the field.
The rest is history in the making as Brawn GP continues to dominate the 2009 F1 season and everyone else on the grid is trying to play catch-up. And they are failing miserably. Most are finding it nearly impossible to alter their existing chassis and suspension systems to accomodate a trick diffuser. And when they do get it on the car, the drivers are having a heck of time getting used to the additional downforce. Thus, catching up is not as simple as it seems. You can't just slap a trick diffuser on and be as fast as Brawn GP.
This very well may go down in the annals of sport as one of the greatest strategic moves ever. Ross Brawn pulled one over on everyone in the sport, got the FIA to rule against Ferrari, and is flying away with the championship.
The short answer to your questions are:
1. Moving aero that maximized downforce but cost big bucks. Now made illegal under the 2009 regulations.
2. Diffuses air from going underneath the car at high speeds thus increasing aerodynamic downforce much better than the simple diffuser everyone else has. In other words, it mimicks the old moving aero part and even improves on its downforce creating abilities.
Last edited by Barrister; 05-30-2009 at 01:27 PM.
#7
05-30-2009, 01:29 PM
Thanks!
In all fairness, Williams and Toyota developed trick diffusers prior to the FIA ruling. And thus their suprising strength in the early races.
In all fairness, Williams and Toyota developed trick diffusers prior to the FIA ruling. And thus their suprising strength in the early races.
#8
05-30-2009, 03:24 PM
Well, there is a short and a long answer to your questions. Here is the long version first.
The first thing to understand is the meaning of "downforce." Downforce is dynamic energy produced by a combination of air resistance and gravity. It is actually "negative lift." Downforce is what is created by air travelling over the car - rather then under it - thereby creating pressure that plants the car on the road. If handled properly, downforce can increase with speed thereby actually giving you more control as the car gets faster. Without downforce, F1 cars would actually take flight at speed and crash miserably.
That being understood, now let's move on to the real story . . .
This year F1 made a myriad of changes to its technical regulations. The largest change was that there could no longer be any "moving aerodynamic parts" on the car. In other words, no more of those fancy wings and blades turning and spinning all over the car. All aerodynamic impliments had to be "fixed". This resulted in a loss of downforce in all F1 cars. While the engines are basically the same - barring a new rev limit - the aerodynamic downforce of the car was significantly decreased. So while there was still a ton of power, you could no longer translate it to the road because the car would slide all over the place. Thus the saying: power is nothing without control.
In comes Ross Brawn. Brawn figured out an ingenious piece of aerodynamic technology that increased downforce back to and beyond prior levels - the "trick diffuser." A "diffuser" is the aerodynamic piece that is placed on the underside of the rear end of a F1 car. It helps "diffuse" the flow of air that would otherwise travel under the car giving it "lift" and decreasing downforce. This allows the F1 driver to translate more of the engine power to the road while maintaining control over the race car.
There is really no way that Brawn could keep the trick diffuser a secret. Far from it. Other teams knew what he was developing. But his trick diffuser ran so close to violating the new regulations that other teams saw it as too great a gamble. Brawn had basically developed his car from the ground up around this part. Other teams would have had to spend millions and go back to the drawing board to adapt. What made things worse for Ferrari and McLaren was that they were both locked in a championship battle until the very end of 2008 which left them no time to make such changes. So the big boys relied on the regulations to save them. They claimed that the trick diffuser was a "moving aerodynamic" part and that it was illegal. They were so sure of themselves that none of them developed a trick diffuser "just in case" they were wrong and the FIA found against them. Monumental blunder.
Well, we all know now that Ross Brawn was right and everyone else was wrong. The FIA held that the trick diffuser was not against the regulations and that Brawn GP was free to use it. Being the only team on the grid that had it, and with so much more downforce than everyone else, Brawn GP stomped everyone in preseason testing. Most thought this was a fluke until we reached Australia and Brawn crushed the field.
The rest is history in the making as Brawn GP continues to dominate the 2009 F1 season and everyone else on the grid is trying to play catch-up. And they are failing miserably. Most are finding it nearly impossible to alter their existing chassis and suspension systems to accomodate a trick diffuser. And when they do get it on the car, the drivers are having a heck of time getting used to the additional downforce. Thus, catching up is not as simple as it seems. You can't just slap a trick diffuser on and be as fast as Brawn GP.
This very well may go down in the annals of sport as one of the greatest strategic moves ever. Ross Brawn pulled one over on everyone in the sport, got the FIA to rule against Ferrari, and is flying away with the championship.
The short answer to your questions are:
1. Moving aero that maximized downforce but cost big bucks. Now made illegal under the 2009 regulations.
2. Diffuses air from going underneath the car at high speeds thus increasing aerodynamic downforce much better than the simple diffuser everyone else has. In other words, it mimicks the old moving aero part and even improves on its downforce creating abilities.
The first thing to understand is the meaning of "downforce." Downforce is dynamic energy produced by a combination of air resistance and gravity. It is actually "negative lift." Downforce is what is created by air travelling over the car - rather then under it - thereby creating pressure that plants the car on the road. If handled properly, downforce can increase with speed thereby actually giving you more control as the car gets faster. Without downforce, F1 cars would actually take flight at speed and crash miserably.
That being understood, now let's move on to the real story . . .
This year F1 made a myriad of changes to its technical regulations. The largest change was that there could no longer be any "moving aerodynamic parts" on the car. In other words, no more of those fancy wings and blades turning and spinning all over the car. All aerodynamic impliments had to be "fixed". This resulted in a loss of downforce in all F1 cars. While the engines are basically the same - barring a new rev limit - the aerodynamic downforce of the car was significantly decreased. So while there was still a ton of power, you could no longer translate it to the road because the car would slide all over the place. Thus the saying: power is nothing without control.
In comes Ross Brawn. Brawn figured out an ingenious piece of aerodynamic technology that increased downforce back to and beyond prior levels - the "trick diffuser." A "diffuser" is the aerodynamic piece that is placed on the underside of the rear end of a F1 car. It helps "diffuse" the flow of air that would otherwise travel under the car giving it "lift" and decreasing downforce. This allows the F1 driver to translate more of the engine power to the road while maintaining control over the race car.
There is really no way that Brawn could keep the trick diffuser a secret. Far from it. Other teams knew what he was developing. But his trick diffuser ran so close to violating the new regulations that other teams saw it as too great a gamble. Brawn had basically developed his car from the ground up around this part. Other teams would have had to spend millions and go back to the drawing board to adapt. What made things worse for Ferrari and McLaren was that they were both locked in a championship battle until the very end of 2008 which left them no time to make such changes. So the big boys relied on the regulations to save them. They claimed that the trick diffuser was a "moving aerodynamic" part and that it was illegal. They were so sure of themselves that none of them developed a trick diffuser "just in case" they were wrong and the FIA found against them. Monumental blunder.
Well, we all know now that Ross Brawn was right and everyone else was wrong. The FIA held that the trick diffuser was not against the regulations and that Brawn GP was free to use it. Being the only team on the grid that had it, and with so much more downforce than everyone else, Brawn GP stomped everyone in preseason testing. Most thought this was a fluke until we reached Australia and Brawn crushed the field.
The rest is history in the making as Brawn GP continues to dominate the 2009 F1 season and everyone else on the grid is trying to play catch-up. And they are failing miserably. Most are finding it nearly impossible to alter their existing chassis and suspension systems to accomodate a trick diffuser. And when they do get it on the car, the drivers are having a heck of time getting used to the additional downforce. Thus, catching up is not as simple as it seems. You can't just slap a trick diffuser on and be as fast as Brawn GP.
This very well may go down in the annals of sport as one of the greatest strategic moves ever. Ross Brawn pulled one over on everyone in the sport, got the FIA to rule against Ferrari, and is flying away with the championship.
The short answer to your questions are:
1. Moving aero that maximized downforce but cost big bucks. Now made illegal under the 2009 regulations.
2. Diffuses air from going underneath the car at high speeds thus increasing aerodynamic downforce much better than the simple diffuser everyone else has. In other words, it mimicks the old moving aero part and even improves on its downforce creating abilities.
Thanks! Great info. I would've been satisfied with the short version, but I like the long version a lot better.
So are the majority of teams using a double diffuser now?
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