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[racechick]

Great pics, thanks. Its interesting seeing them all together. Ok a question (im not technical remember so easy answers). Why do some cars go straight across(I mean between the sticky up bit behind the drivers head and the back wing) and some go down then back up. The Renault, mcLaren, sauber and red bull ones go straight across. (Its not red bull is it??) Anyway, why do they do that and whats the benefits of each.

The big fins on the engine covers? They direct a bit more air to the rear wing when the car is going round a corner, supposedly helping increase downforce at the rear. However for me it can't make that much of a big difference if teams are still choosing not to use them. I think the decision is therefore partly motivated the general handling characteristics of the car (with regards to the balance - ie whether it has a tendancy to over or understeer) and simple driver preference. These fins apparently sometimes cause the car to have understeer which isn't to every driver's taste - in 2008 Ferrari started to run the fins halfway through the season, only for Raikkonen to eventually ditch the development and seemingly go faster than he did with it!

Tried to avoid as much jargon as poss there, hope that explanation helps.

Yes, that helped thanks. the McLaren has one and Lewis hates understeer But the mcLaren one has a little hole in it , so maybe it will be ok

I would imagine that because they've put the fin on from scratch that everything balance wise has been accounted for and so wouldn't have any unforseen problems... Tell you what though, on paper that McLaren is gonna be bloody quick at Silverstone and the like.

Is it? Even if its windy??. Excellent! Silverstone....I love that word

[Frosty]

I wonder if many teams will develop the snow plow if it proves successful on the McLaren and Williams.

What's that then?

Williams came up with the idea last year and I thought it was a clever idea at the time though Williams may of not made the most of it. Anyway this year McLaren have implemented it in within their design and so have Williams again. Its a aerodynamic part shaped like a snow plow turned upside down at the front of the car and is designed to channel more air under the car to feed the diffusers. It's best seen on the Williams and it's between the keel where the front suspension attaches and the 'part of car that I can't remember the name of lol' you can just about make it out on this picture.

[Jensonb]

I wonder if many teams will develop the snow plow if it proves successful on the McLaren and Williams.

What's that then?

Williams came up with the idea last year and I thought it was a clever at the time though Williams may of not made the most of it. Anyway this year McLaren have implemented it in within their design and so have Williams again. Its a aerodynamic part shaped like a snow plow turned upside down at the front of the car and is designed to channel more air under the car to feed the diffusers. It's best seen on the Williams and it's between the keel where the front suspension attaches and the 'part of car that I can't remember the name of lol' you can just about make it out on this picture.

AH yes, I've seen the part you mean. You can make it out in head-on shots of the McLaren as something that appears to be dividing the the area behind the wing mounts in two. I had forgotten about the Williams device added last year and I was wondering why it was there on the McLaren. Cheers for the intel

[Cubejam]

If there were side by side shots of the FW31 & FW32 you could see what's different about the car. The main difference is the fact the FW31 was actually designed to run with KERS believe it or not. Williams were one of the big promoters of KERS (they seem to be the only one promoting it on the side of their car this year). But, they decided not to use it after seeing the disadvantages it had for Ferrari, McLaren Renault & BMW. The other main differences are an evolved diffuser, a brand new rear wing & suspension structure, new floor, and completely new aero package.

And.. Red Bull!.... TAAADAAAA.......

[Jamie]

If there were side by side shots of the FW31 & FW32 you could see what's different about the car. The main difference is the fact the FW31 was actually designed to run with KERS believe it or not. Williams were one of the big promoters of KERS (they seem to be the only one promoting it on the side of their car this year). But, they decided not to use it after seeing the disadvantages it had for Ferrari, McLaren Renault & BMW. The other main differences are an evolved diffuser, a brand new rear wing & suspension structure, new floor, and completely new aero package.

And.. Red Bull!.... TAAADAAAA.......

It is......Gorgeous

[Cubejam]

More..




http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... _rb6-4.jpg
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/u ... _rb6-2.jpg

[Gilles 27]

I wonder if many teams will develop the snow plow if it proves successful on the McLaren and Williams.

What's that then?

Williams came up with the idea last year and I thought it was a clever idea at the time though Williams may of not made the most of it. Anyway this year McLaren have implemented it in within their design and so have Williams again. Its a aerodynamic part shaped like a snow plow turned upside down at the front of the car and is designed to channel more air under the car to feed the diffusers. It's best seen on the Williams and it's between the keel where the front suspension attaches and the 'part of car that I can't remember the name of lol' you can just about make it out on this picture.

I've read that there is a potential risk of upsetting the airflow beneath the car to the detriment of other aerodynamic components so it is a bit of a risk using the snow plow. Of course if it behaves exactly as calculated in simulations then it'll most likely catch on but it seems to be more of a risky development direction than say shark fins, which seem to have no great drawbacks.

[Cubejam]

I've read that there is a potential risk of upsetting the airflow beneath the car to the detriment of other aerodynamic components so it is a bit of a risk using the snow plow. Of course if it behaves exactly as calculated in simulations then it'll most likely catch on but it seems to be more of a risky development direction than say shark fins, which seem to have no great drawbacks.

The only car the shark fins seem to look good on is the Red Bull duo. Toro Rosso in particular.

[manmonkee]

Aparently the Lotus has done a shake down run at Silverstone, Spy pics anyone???

[Cubejam]

Aparently the Lotus has done a shake down run at Silverstone, Spy pics anyone???

Aye its already been posted

[RA Dunk]

Cant get a decent look of that front wing but it looks a little bit basic going by what I can see of it

[manmonkee]

Yup, ugly looking thing, bit of a fat bottom on it too, not exactly the tapered ellegence we've got used too.

[Cubejam]

Yup, ugly looking thing, bit of a fat bottom on it too, not exactly the tapered ellegence we've got used too.

I think it's a thing of beauty. Simple & true to its historic team name. Yellow stripe up the middle, yellow wheels.. green everywhere else... as Lotus should be

[Jamie]

Aparently the Lotus has done a shake down run at Silverstone, Spy pics anyone???

Aye its already been posted

Its okay

[manmonkee]

Yup, ugly looking thing, bit of a fat bottom on it too, not exactly the tapered ellegence we've got used too.

I think it's a thing of beauty. Simple & true to its historic team name. Yellow stripe up the middle, yellow wheels.. green everywhere else... as Lotus should be

I confidently predict that the virgin car will trounce it, Of course it'll be interesting to see who wins the battle of the new teams, and to be fair Toro Rosso should be counted amongst them.