Lotus's rivals set to be forced to copy innovative reactive

[Hammer278]

Ferrari have been developing their ride height system since last year. Apparently there is a bit more to it and they are asking the FiA to give their nod of approval. I don't know if its got anything to do with the special floor Rory has come up with, but there is a lot of buzz ATM about that. Also that the new car is supposed to have some sort of bump on the nose.

Hopefully we'll get a better shake from the FiA than we got with our gurney in Barcelona last year.

Same article thrown about already not really saying much there about Ferraris device, also I can't see anywhere about Rory being chief designer or working in any full time roll?

He's not in any full time role....I don't even see anything about him working with the F1 team at the moment.

[spankyham]

While we're on the subject of Ferrari, just thought I'd post this article I came across on crash.net.

Ferrari's efforts to supplant Red Bull at the top of the F1 tree may have suffered a temporary setback amid reports that its 2012 car failed the mandatory FIA crash test.

Several sources, led by Finland's Turun Sanomat and Eurosport, claimed that the car - currently carrying the factory number 663 - was submitted for testing several weeks ago, but had to reworked with additional structural reinforcement, before it could be returned for a second attempt in the coming week. Under revised 2012 regulations, all cars have to have passed the stringent assessment before being allowed to take part in pre-season testing, something that both Caterham and Force India have managed to do.

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has already warned Ferrari fans not to expect an attractive car this season, as the Scuderia attempts to produce a machine capable of closing the gap to Red Bull and McLaren.

“It's definitely different, because it represents a clear break with the past in terms of the design philosophy," he commented at this week's Wroom media event in Italy, "It's not that pretty, because the shape defined by the technical regulations does not leave much scope, but, and this is what counts really, our hopes are that it is at the very least quick!”

“I asked our engineers, as far back as last summer to look into every little nook and cranny of the rules to push it to the limit, but up until we see the other cars we will not know if we have taken it to the limit or are within it. To really understand the hierarchy, we will have to wait for qualifying in Melbourne.”

Ferrari did indeed fail its first test. The word I heard was that they went into the process knowing they were very marginal. Apparently 663 is SF's most advanced in terms of composites and layering used, but it is very light. Ferrari have since passed the test.

If I'm not wrong, the last SF car that failed this test was the F2004 - hope there's a good omen in that

[spankyham]

Ferrari have been developing their ride height system since last year. Apparently there is a bit more to it and they are asking the FiA to give their nod of approval. I don't know if its got anything to do with the special floor Rory has come up with, but there is a lot of buzz ATM about that. Also that the new car is supposed to have some sort of bump on the nose.

Hopefully we'll get a better shake from the FiA than we got with our gurney in Barcelona last year.

Same article thrown about already not really saying much there about Ferraris device, also I can't see anywhere about Rory being chief designer or working in any full time roll?

He's not in any full time role....I don't even see anything about him working with the F1 team at the moment.

The only link I had on it was of Rory himself doing a radio interview last year in South Africa. I did post the link, but unfortunately its been pulled. They want to keep him out of the spotlight, but, rest assured he is heading the design of this car. Just before Vrooom he called all the heads (Fry etc) back for a meeting to test some mods he made to his new floor. Apparently they went very well in wind tunnel tests.

I'm just hoping all this optimism turns out a car that can be competitive

[LewEngBridewell]

Ferrari did indeed fail its first test. The word I heard was that they went into the process knowing they were very marginal. Apparently 663 is SF's most advanced in terms of composites and layering used, but it is very light. Ferrari have since passed the test.

If I'm not wrong, the last SF car that failed this test was the F2004 - hope there's a good omen in that

Oh yes indeed, now there's a blast from the past!!!!

I can still remember the run up to that season. Ferrari's F2004 didn't get off to the best of starts... as you said it failed the first test, and then during on track testing, the car didn't seem to be so dominant. Then shortly before the season began, they tested at Imola and it was there the car's speed was truly recognised. So Melbourne came, and Ferrari dominated. The rest is history....

[andrew]

Ferrari did indeed fail its first test. The word I heard was that they went into the process knowing they were very marginal. Apparently 663 is SF's most advanced in terms of composites and layering used, but it is very light. Ferrari have since passed the test.

If I'm not wrong, the last SF car that failed this test was the F2004 - hope there's a good omen in that

Oh yes indeed, now there's a blast from the past!!!!

I can still remember the run up to that season. Ferrari's F2004 didn't get off to the best of starts... as you said it failed the first test, and then during on track testing, the car didn't seem to be so dominant. Then shortly before the season began, they tested at Imola and it was there the car's speed was truly recognised. So Melbourne came, and Ferrari dominated. The rest is history....

Another glorious year of Schumacher domination, back when I could support the reds.

[LewEngBridewell]

Ferrari did indeed fail its first test. The word I heard was that they went into the process knowing they were very marginal. Apparently 663 is SF's most advanced in terms of composites and layering used, but it is very light. Ferrari have since passed the test.

If I'm not wrong, the last SF car that failed this test was the F2004 - hope there's a good omen in that

Oh yes indeed, now there's a blast from the past!!!!

I can still remember the run up to that season. Ferrari's F2004 didn't get off to the best of starts... as you said it failed the first test, and then during on track testing, the car didn't seem to be so dominant. Then shortly before the season began, they tested at Imola and it was there the car's speed was truly recognised. So Melbourne came, and Ferrari dominated. The rest is history....

Another glorious year of Schumacher domination, back when I could support the reds.

You like a good bit of domination don't you, my man?

[andrew]

Ferrari did indeed fail its first test. The word I heard was that they went into the process knowing they were very marginal. Apparently 663 is SF's most advanced in terms of composites and layering used, but it is very light. Ferrari have since passed the test.

If I'm not wrong, the last SF car that failed this test was the F2004 - hope there's a good omen in that

Oh yes indeed, now there's a blast from the past!!!!

I can still remember the run up to that season. Ferrari's F2004 didn't get off to the best of starts... as you said it failed the first test, and then during on track testing, the car didn't seem to be so dominant. Then shortly before the season began, they tested at Imola and it was there the car's speed was truly recognised. So Melbourne came, and Ferrari dominated. The rest is history....

Another glorious year of Schumacher domination, back when I could support the reds.

You like a good bit of domination don't you, my man?

Depends what sort and who by.

[darwin dali]

[scotty]

I wonder how long it'll be before we see a similar system at the rear of cars that stalls the diffuser allowing better straight line speed..

[bud]

I wonder how long it'll be before we see a similar system at the rear of cars that stalls the diffuser allowing better straight line speed..

I think this will be banned before it gets to that, technically any active suspension or moveable ride height is against the rules.

[stonemonkey]

I wonder how long it'll be before we see a similar system at the rear of cars that stalls the diffuser allowing better straight line speed..

I was wondering something like that, except maybe to keep rear stability under braking by keeping the diffuser at the optimum position.

[scotty]

I think this will be banned before it gets to that, technically any active suspension or moveable ride height is against the rules.

Yeah this is kinda like the f-duct, i think it'll be banned probably at the end of the season too. Gotta remember that this system isn't technically 'active' though.

I was wondering something like that, except maybe to keep rear stability under braking by keeping the diffuser at the optimum position.

In theory if you keep the front still under the brakes it should be very easy to get the rear should keep a similar ride height too on an F1 car... but having thought about it i would agree something like that is far simpler to achieve in practice than what i originally suggested, ie getting the rear to raise to stall the diffuser down the straights (too many other factors to account for with that such as cornering at speed)...

[stonemonkey]

I think this will be banned before it gets to that, technically any active suspension or moveable ride height is against the rules.

Yeah this is kinda like the f-duct, i think it'll be banned probably at the end of the season too. Gotta remember that this system isn't technically 'active' though.

I was wondering something like that, except maybe to keep rear stability under braking by keeping the diffuser at the optimum position.

In theory if you keep the front still under the brakes it should be very easy to get the rear should keep a similar ride height too on an F1 car... but having thought about it i would agree something like that is far simpler to achieve in practice than what i originally suggested, ie getting the rear to raise to stall the diffuser down the straights (too many other factors to account for with that such as cornering at speed)...

As you say, the effect from braking might not be as much at the rear although I suppose less downforce while slowing down would also cause the rear to rise a little so you'd maybe want to counter that.
Some other thoughts though are that altering the rear suspension would be far more complicated than the front, with the front I think Lotus are using pressure created under braking to extend the push rod whereas you'd want to shorten the rod at the rear (or lengthen if it's pull rod) both of which would make things a bit difficult. Also I don't see any way they could use torque from acceleration, I think it was mentioned in one of the articles but I have my doubts about it.

[LewEngBridewell]

Despite numerous rivals of Lotus reportedly hurrying to develop their own version of the team's reactive ride height system, Red Bull have insisted they're in no rush to copy it themselves.

Although some have touted the reactive ride system – which is legal because it is activated by brake torque – as perhaps the major technical innovation of the year, Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner is less convinced.

"It's like all of these things, it's about how they work and how they are integrated in the car," Horner said in an exclusive interview with AUTOSPORT.

"Things have to work as a package rather than as individual components. It appears to be an interesting concept but I'm the wrong person to be commenting on it."

Horner has said that progress with the team's new RB8 – which will be launched online on February 6 – was going well, but he said it was too early to be making any bold predictions.

"It's a busy time of the year at the moment," he said. "Everybody in the factory is working flat out but so far we are looking in reasonable shape compared to our car schedule and planning.

"The challenge this year is that all of the crash tests have to be completed before the car runs, but that's the same for all of the teams.

"We're in reasonable shape but we are very much focused on ourselves. We will see when the cars roll out at the first test."

[stonemonkey]

Despite numerous rivals of Lotus reportedly hurrying to develop their own version of the team's reactive ride height system, Red Bull have insisted they're in no rush to copy it themselves.

They've probably got their own system hidden in there somewhere that they've been using for a couple of years and it's lotus who are copying them.