new FW 26

[Bear87G]

The FW26 is using the twin kell front suspension design to allow for full unaffected flow through the underside of the nose to the plank and eventually to the diffuser. The so called tusks on the nose provide an emense amount of free untouched air space for the air to enter from. The twin keel uses two "keels or carbon fiber ribs along the edges of the monocoque (spelling) to attach the lower control arm to. With a single keel in the center the contol arm or A arm has to protrude into this air space under the nose causing "dirty" air as the aerodynamicist's call it. Other than the front nose and diffuser the car seems to be unchanged and the German power has already shown its reliability with no problems yet.

The MP4-19 is in many ways a far more changed car. The engine bonnet and coke bottle shape has been used so far that the cooling og the car is suffering badly. This is part of the reason the mp4-18 never ran. The 18 had internal exhaust within the diffuser. and now the 19 has them in the now normal periscope form first seen from Ferrari. The 19 has exhaust cooling air escape routes from the exhaust covers the hole to the side of the side pod, as well as at the end of the coke bottle shape near the diffuser. Mclaren used the lower nose to shorten the length of the nose cone as well as provide further downforce and a clear path to either side of the nose to the underbody. As bum-man said it is not the Engine that is having a problem and don't expect the German engine to have any such problems other than cooling. Ohter than cooling the 19 should be a very competitive car and do well in the championship.



If image doesn't work go to scarbsf1.com/mac19.html it is a great site for tech and were I myself have learned quite a lot.

P.S. Renault's new car on the 20th and it will be mystifying.

[bum-man]

nice post about both cars. itll definatly be an interesting 2004 season...i cant wait.

[DasModell]

Sauber were among the first teams to have a twin keel car . in 2001 . but this year they changed back to single .. Willi Rampf said that they did that because they wanted a stronger chassis .. but i have to say that i think it was because the C23 is more or less a F2003-GA wich was a single keel car

the FW26 had some gearbox problems .. JPM stating this in Autosport
also it appears that the ugly nose is design expecially for a twin keel design and will not work as good with a single keel
the radiators intake appears to be very small even compared to the ferrari ones and it is said that the BMW engine is design to work at higher temperatures compared to other engines ..

i heard that Ferrari will also have twin-keel .. but this is only roumors

[Alfahollic]

Sauber were among the first teams to have a twin keel car . in 2001 . but this year they changed back to single .. Willi Rampf said that they did that because they wanted a stronger chassis .. but i have to say that i think it was because the C23 is more or less a F2003-GA wich was a single keel car

the FW26 had some gearbox problems .. JPM stating this in Autosport
also it appears that the ugly nose is design expecially for a twin keel design and will not work as good with a single keel
the radiators intake appears to be very small even compared to the ferrari ones and it is said that the BMW engine is design to work at higher temperatures compared to other engines ..

i heard that Ferrari will also have twin-keel .. but this is only roumors

I certainly hope Ferrari doesnt use a twin keel layout.

[DasModell]

why not . it does have benefits

[Homem de Gelo]

I certainly hope Ferrari doesnt use a twin keel layout.

I doubt it, especially after the realease of the new Sauber.

[Bear87G]

Peter Sauber's new car the C23 is what I would call an exact replica of last years Ferrari other than the nose cone. If you think back to late last season there was talk of Sauber buying the F2003- GA chassis to become more competitive and get closer to Ferrari. It appears that this deal has indeed been conveined and Sauber should be quite competitive and possiblly up with the top 4 teams. The single keel design has obvioulsy been added because this is Ferrari's design and the defecting of the twin keel is just one more idea to show that Sauber is copy Ferrari to the largest extent.

Ferrari meanwhile have kept under wraps what ever they are doing very well considering I have not seen any info on the car nor and speculation as to the areas which will be new. I have heard that now Ferrari and Mclaren as well as Sauber will look into the tusked nose of the Williams. The first two will proceed immediately to the wind tunnel while Sauber has to wait till his new ultra fantastic wind tunnel is ready sometime between March and May.

If you look at some of the side by side views of the Williams and the Ferrari or any other of the top contenders you will see that Williams hold the key to having the lowest sidepods on the grid. The compromise being that Williams has not been able to sculpt the rear into such the coke bottle form that the other teams have. The FW-26/25/24 sidepods are all quite square if you notice or rectangular unlike Ferrari's and the new Sauber's which are tall yet curve inwards as you proceed lower to the ground as well as curving much further inward than the Williams as you go further towards the back of the car.

[DasModell]

i think peter sauber did the best thing for the team .. to ensure they will survive and not only that . but i thing they will become even more competitive then 2001

[DasModell]

just to make everyone understand better the twin keel concept