Has anyone ever heard of an F1 team tweeking the diffuser to create as much turbulent air as possible, to discourage overtaking?
It seems that one of the greatest impediments to passing is the fact that slipstreaming is impossible due to the inability of one car to run close to the back of the other. Could it be that some of this is on purpose?
I know that no team would sacrifice its own cars aerodynamics just to obtain more turbulance, but if they could get both, do anyone think they would?
![Photo](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/166c71bc3628c4badb37d270bc3c41e2?s=100&d=https%3A%2F%2Fbb2.autosport.com%2Fpublic%2Fstyle_images%2FTheo%2Fprofile%2Fdefault_large.png)
Engineering turbulent air
Started by
Paul Bierce
, Feb 20 2000 21:23
2 replies to this topic
#1
Posted 20 February 2000 - 21:23
Advertisement
#2
Posted 21 February 2000 - 02:39
Nope.
The idea is to be able to slice through the air with as little turbulance as possible, leaving as much of the air the way it was.
When you generate turbulance you generate drag, and when that happens you loose top-end speed. This makes it easier for you to be passed on long straights...
The idea is to be able to slice through the air with as little turbulance as possible, leaving as much of the air the way it was.
When you generate turbulance you generate drag, and when that happens you loose top-end speed. This makes it easier for you to be passed on long straights...
#3
Posted 21 February 2000 - 09:20
CART introduce the Hanford wing on ovals to generate more overtaking and prevent cars being unable to overtake due to turbulance. It isn't possible to leave the air as it was as can easily be seen from the vortices which come off rear wings. To generate downforce you must have a high drag car and a high downforce, high drag car must massively disturb the air behind it.