The Formula 1 drivers who can withstand up to and beyond 5G of pressure through corners, need to own phenomenal cars to back up that kind of force and accelerate to the speed required to reach such numbers.
High cornering speeds are an essential part of F1 card design, contributing to slashing lap times where every second counts and the teams filled with engineers, racers and tactical squads work hard to improve results day by day.
Wind tunnels play a significant role in the development and evolution of car design, where the teams test various developments aimed at improving aerodynamics using simulations. There engineers operate a huge fan that blows on a scale model of the car, thus helping to test the theories obtained through the computer simulations. In a lot of situations, virtual imitations require additional changes because of the harsh reality they face. For a lot of people it seems like a known issue – just remember trying to predict the winner of the Constructors’ Championship and if your bet at the start of the season was correct by the end of it. (If you placed a wager, always remember about responsible gaming and read all the information on the matter at the link). Let’s delve into how engineers better and better understand aerodynamics and tame it to help racers get faster.
When a Ferrari becomes an aeroplane
Imagine travelling at 300 km/h in your ordinary family car. Unless you’re part of the Flintstone family, the result would probably be an unplanned flight. So why can a Formula 1 car travel at these insane speeds without taking off? The answer lies in aerodynamics, or as some call it: the art of making a car behave as if it was superglued to the tarmac.
Downforce: Gravity gets a helping hand
In the world of motorsport, downforce is the magic word that makes engineers’ eyes light up and their hearts beat faster. It’s the force that pushes the car down towards the track with a strength that would impress even the most dedicated bodybuilder. Thanks to ingenious wing designs and underbody shapes, a modern racing car could theoretically ride on the ceiling – if the race track had the necessary shape.
Wind tunnels: The winds of change
At the heart of any serious racing team’s headquarters is the wind tunnel. This is where engineers would love to spend more time than they do at home, if only the FIA would let them. The testing hours are allocated depending on the constructor championship places, and the one who was down at the bottom can work on their car much more than the winner. In these high-tech caves, cars are blown around by winds that would turn even the toughest umbrella inside out. All in pursuit of the perfect shape that can cut through the air like a hot knife through butter.
CFD: How computers replace real gusts of wind
For those who think wind tunnels are so last year, there’s Computational Fluid Dynamics, or CFD. Here, real wind is replaced with millions of mathematical calculations that simulate the movement of air around the car. It’s like playing the most advanced computer game ever, but without the exploit options and with significantly more expensive hardware.
Balancing act on a micro level
Finding the perfect balance between downforce and drag is like dancing the tango on a knife edge – in high heels. Too much downforce and the car drives like it has an invisible elephant on the roof. Too little and it flies like a paper aeroplane in a tornado. Engineers spend months fine-tuning every curve and edge of the car, often with changes so small that even a microscope would struggle to spot them.
Dirty air: The following car has a disadvantage
In the world of motorsport, there is a phenomenon known as “dirty air”. It’s the turbulent airflow left behind a race car that makes life difficult for the vehicles behind it. It’s a bit like riding behind a lorry – only at 300 km/h and with the risk of ending up on the crash barrier if you lose concentration for even a split second.
From race track to residential road
Believe it or not, aerodynamic knowledge from the racetrack finds its way into your daily commuter car. That little spoiler on the tailgate of your family car? It’s a direct result of decades of motorsport research.
The future of the racing cars
Engineers are working tirelessly to bring more solutions to the biggest racing problems to accelerate already incredibly fast cars. For example, maybe the tyres could be more durable and the racers won’t need to do pit stops, since refuelling isn’t necessary already.
But be sure to spot the difference in your perception when you watch a Formula 1 race next time. Maybe you’ll become a geek and would love to know much more about car design and how engineers work. Or the new information doesn’t matter to you and Formula 1 just stays fun to watch alone or with friends? It’s up to you, we’re just happy that we were able to share something interesting and maybe kindle even more love for this amazing sport.
