F1 cars race around corners at more than 190 miles per hour. Those insane speeds are made possible by downforce – the invisible power which keeps the cars on-track. In the latest episode ofF1 Explains, Emel Cankaya – an Aerodynamics Specialist at McLaren – tells...
Aerodynamics play a huge role in circuit racing. And a rear wing the size of a small airplane can add plenty of downforce in the corners, allowing a racing car to negotiate fast corners at a much higher speed than a car with no wing. Simply, the airflow around the rear wing presses t...
but the way it responds to worn or cold tyres, a stiff suspension setup, or an aggressively low downforce aero configuration. It’s fascinating to tinker with the setup options and feel out the new lines and possibilities that they unlock on the track...
the straights not as long. Aero efficiency is nowhere near as important here as at Spa. Sheer downforce is more heavily rewarded. The layout allows the cars to run a very low ride height – and in this part of the aero map the Mercedes actually now works very ...
Then the little winglets or fins on the rear brake duct, which will further reduce the amount of downforce a car can create, have been shortened, while the diffuser fences have been hacked back, which will mean cars shedding yet more downforce. And fin...
Given that for ’93, Williams had replaced Nigel Mansell with Prost, this was an important feature. There was also electrically-powered braking assistance – also to help the drivers exploit the increased braking potential arising from the downforce increase. The driver could choose to use the ...