2010 Formula 1 Season Build-Up

[RacingManiac]

autosport.com - F1 News: Mercedes to run radical engine cover

[Wouter Melissen]

More here: Formula 1? - The Official F1? Website

That's just plain weird.

[ringle]

Was this somehow missed by the other teams? May just explain a one second per lap advantage.

RBR flexible front wing - The AUTOSPORT Bulletin Board

Photo exclusive: Red Bull The official website

[RacingManiac]

All wing flexes, which explains why it made the cables going taut underload in those pic(from pre-season testing). The rule says under 50KG load it was not suppose to move more than 10mm, which is probably more than enough to pull those cable taut. The peak downforce on these car overall is probably in the order of 3-4000lb at 200mph, so assuming the front wing generates 40% of that based on the tire size, we are maybe looking at up to 1600lb of downforce, which is 725+ kg at 200mph. What RBR was probably doing was to do some non-linearly deflecting composite structure that probably deflects within the limit under the proof load of 50kg based on the test procedure, but under the actual pressure load(how wing works) at above the proof load was able to bend more.

FIA did though, modified its rule just now, and they reserve the right to test beyond the proofload for up to 100kg and noted that the deflection increase had to be linear.

autosport.com - F1 News: FIA to ramp up wing tests for Belgium

The pictures do sorta showed you what RBR was looking at though, as early as Feb/Mar...

[fpv_gtho]

Ferrari are supposed to have those flexi wings as well, as well as an operating blown diffuser. Yet they were the best of the rest at Hungary, and the ones over a second behind.

[RacingManiac]

Copies are rarely better than original...lol

To Ferrari's credit, they probably played with flexible aero components for a while though. The flexing floor, the reason why there was a front wing flex rule in the first place, was all due to their earlier cars..

[ruim20]

All wing flexes, which explains why it made the cables going taut underload in those pic(from pre-season testing). The rule says under 50KG load it was not suppose to move more than 10mm, which is probably more than enough to pull those cable taut. The peak downforce on these car overall is probably in the order of 3-4000lb at 200mph, so assuming the front wing generates 40% of that based on the tire size, we are maybe looking at up to 1600lb of downforce, which is 725+ kg at 200mph. What RBR was probably doing was to do some non-linearly deflecting composite structure that probably deflects within the limit under the proof load of 50kg based on the test procedure, but under the actual pressure load(how wing works) at above the proof load was able to bend more.

FIA did though, modified its rule just now, and they reserve the right to test beyond the proofload for up to 100kg and noted that the deflection increase had to be linear.

autosport.com - F1 News: FIA to ramp up wing tests for Belgium

The pictures do sorta showed you what RBR was looking at though, as early as Feb/Mar...

I don't believe the point of that rbr test to be the wing flex but the whole wing moving from side to side, someone mentioned that on one of that forum posts, it makes more sense, since in one of the pictures, while the car is turning, the wires on one side are flexed and on the other tight.

[Dino Scuderia]

That is a bizarre cable system....there has to be more to it than controlling how much flex the wing gets....it appears each side is manipulated somehow.

[RacingManiac]

No its to measure how much stresses are in the cable, thus deriving the downfoce/bending on the wing.

The wings are shifting, and that one cornering shot is not the accurate measure of the flex as you say, the wing especially in cornering(with curbs) will oscillate left and right and up and down so depend on the moment when the pic is taken, it will look like that(one side taut, other side slack, they can potentially be reversed than the pic also). But the both side will be moving down as the speed and downforce increases.

If I am playing with some design with non-linearly bending composite material, and I am limited in time in windtunnel(which they all are), and I am limited in peak windtunnel speed(which they all are), I'd want to validate my design somehow, and the best thing to do is to do it in real world testing.

THAT particular wing may or maynot be the super flexy one that they are running now in August(5 month later), but if they can use the early test to validate their analysis and modeling, they can use that as the basis and go from there.

[Dino Scuderia]

So who do you guys think will win the c'ship?

I'm thinking most of the tracks left to go look pretty good for the McLaren.

Would like to see Webber get it but I think Hamilton will.

[wwgkd]

If redbull can just let their car do it's thing, I think webber has a pretty good chance.

So, yeah. Hamilton probably.

[henk4]

So who do you guys think will win the c'ship?

I'm thinking most of the tracks left to go look pretty good for the McLaren.

Would like to see Webber get it but I think Hamilton will.

if we can believe the BBC commentators, Spa and Monza (both high speed) would be critical for RB to collect some serious points from. After that the next four tracks would suit the RBs much better.
Seeing that Webber that quite well in Spa, the first hurdle seems to have been taken, so I do think he is in a pretty good position to win, certainly when his teammate will take out the other McLaren for a change.

[Homem de Gelo]

Monza and Singapore will be the most important races. First one is supposed to be Red Bulls weakest track, the next should be McLaren's. Whoever gets the most from this pair should be in a very, very good position for the titles. Ferrari should be okay at both, or not. It has been basically impossible top predict their form and results.

If Kubica's Spa form was no one off, he could suddenly become a key player depending on where he places himself.

I wonder how much Red Bull want Webber to win... will they ever tell Vettel to play second fiddle and help the aussie?

All in all, Hamilton has been driving better than his rivals and, assuming McLaren avoids more Hungarian weekends, he should take the title.

[Dino Scuderia]

"The controversial grand prix was given the go-ahead after the circuit passed the final inspection on Tuesday by the International Automobile Federation (FIA), which will issue an official license soon through the Korea Automobile Racing Association (KARA).

The official license means the Korea International Circuit is regarded as “Grade A,” circuit at the highest level, meeting the requirement for the F1 race.

“It is satisfactory, and I will issue the license through the KARA.” FIA’s Safety Delegate Charie Whiting said after inspection. The inspection team led by Whiting arrived in Korea on Monday after attending the Japanese Grand Prix.

“We are delighted that all the work has been completed to the satisfaction of the FIA, and we join the whole of Korea in welcoming the Formula 1 fraternity to the Korea International Circuit for the first time,” Chairman of the KAVO Chung Yung-cho said.

This final check is the last hurdle in order to open the inaugural Korean Grand Prix as scheduled. "

F1 Korean GP track passes final inspection

[faksta]

Here is a layout for Sochi track for 2014. I like it - looks fast.