FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[Amy Raffray]

To Mecedes-benz,



I am Amy Raffray, 15 years old. I am a big fan of formula 1.

I am writing this to ask someone to answer my question on behalf of my project I am doing in my ICT Diploma. We have to think of a hypothesis and then research information.

My hypothesis is, can a formula 1 car drive upside down? I have done some research but thought it would be interesting to find more information by contacting a forum to see what other people think.
Any information that would help me, would be very much appreciated

Many Thanks

Amy Raffray

[Hammer278]

An F1 car can definitely run upside down as long as it attains the necessary speed.

Google "downforce" on HowStuffWorks.com and this should clarify many things for you. Good luck!

[Jabberwocky]

the myth says it can.

I think you would have to get some real figures of how much downforce that and F1 car produces and as long as that is heavier than the weight of the car then it in theory it could travel on the roof. however how you got the car upto the speed needed before flipping it upside down is a different question

[NocturnalTendencies]

Here's some numbers for you which are Greek to me, but it might be something to go on.

http://mathspig.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/can-f1-car-drive-upside-down-can-an-ordinary-car-fly/

Here's a visual, cool video too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHDojzNA8gs

Cheers

[What's Burning?]

I've read that the downforce an F1 car produces today it about 3 to 4 thousand pounds. An F1 car weighs in around 1000 pounds.

It will more than stay on the roof, it would actually fly upside down. Granted the steering wheel would be not a single bit of use in steering it while flying.

[racechick]

Google Reynard. His latest car, which can race or go on the road, can go upside down.

[Jabberwocky]

So can the 2010 Redbull........ Is it too soon for that type of joke?

[EwanM]

So can the 2010 Redbull........ Is it too soon for that type of joke?

Not at all.

[What's Burning?]

So can the 2010 Redbull........ Is it too soon for that type of joke?

yeah, I think so. it was the first accident this year that I actually got scared as it happened. hope it's the last.

[f1usa]

So can the 2010 Redbull........ Is it too soon for that type of joke?

When you see blue sky only, that's not good.

[Fodda]

Main problem would be keeping it running. If anyone were serious about trying it (and surely someone somewhere will want the media attention that driving a car on a ceiling would be worth), the whole car spec would need to be thought through and changed. Fluids would be in the wrong parts of the car... Would the fuel tank gather fuel? Would the oil pump around the engine? How about hydraulic tanks?

On top of this there's the problem of where to do it? Most tunnels and large roof areas have lights, signs, air-vents etc. all over them?

And how do you start and stop the experiment? What happens when the car has to slow at the end? How do you stop it crashing to the ground when aerodynamic effect diminishes to less than the weight of the car?

That said (and being perhaps WAAAAY to serious in this thread) the general consensus seems to be that as F1 cars stand aerodynamically, there's nothing to stop them from driving around on the top of a tunnel. It's the nitty-gritty that's the main stumbling block.

Interestingly, during the sewer tunnel chase sequence in The Italian Job (the original natch) I think it was Remy Julienne said that he reckoned he could corkscrew his Mini enough to get it to go through a 360 degree roll and drive upside down for a moment. Although he was never allowed to try as the filming Moke was never fast enough for him to get to speed. Haven't watched the extras on my blu-ray disk for a while so can't be 100% sure on this though.

There you go... Is that anorakky enough?

[Jabberwocky]

they could put one on the roof of a wind tunnel and when it was up to speed remove the supports

[RA Dunk]

Main problem would be keeping it running. If anyone were serious about trying it (and surely someone somewhere will want the media attention that driving a car on a ceiling would be worth), the whole car spec would need to be thought through and changed. Fluids would be in the wrong parts of the car... Would the fuel tank gather fuel? Would the oil pump around the engine? How about hydraulic tanks?

Intresting regarding fluids etc, which gets me thinking do F1 cars use a dry or maybe even a baffled sump to help against oil starvation on those long high speed high G force corners?

[Fodda]

Pure guess: It's a sealed and pressurised oil system.

[vaptin]

So can the 2010 Redbull........ Is it too soon for that type of joke?