Formula1 2017 season Technical topics (text by tw)

If there is a point of interest, and updates.
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Ferrari: In free practice, we tested the head protection wind screen (shield).
However, in one lap, Vettel commented, "I feel dizzy," they rounded up the test.
Since then, due to the influence of Vettel's comment, FIA announced that the head protection concept "Hello" will be introduced from next season (2018).
However, my opinion is that there is a problem with the refractive index of the light of the Ferrari "shield", so it can not be concluded that the concept of "shield" is wrong.
In fact, in the military, pilots of fighter aircraft are able to pilot without problems in the windscreen. I deny the safety of "halo".
It is because there is no way to prevent accidents like springs colliding with Massa's head in the past qualifying in Hungary, halo at all!

Mercedes : During the race, a problem occurred in the fixed parts of the side protector of Hamilton car.
At this time, the air flow was fast on the side protector upper side, so it was well understood on the on board video that the lift was occurring.

And when Hamilton pressed the side protector by hand during driving, the surface material of the protector turned out to be soft.
It is a cushion material that does not deform by air resistance, but deforms when pressed by hand.

Ferrari : Because Montreal has long stops and go straight, they used 3D wing with low downforce specification.
This is anything raised at both ends of the lower face of the wing, it can reduce the tip vortex more than the normal straight type rear wing.
This is the original McLaren in 2003, now Mercedes is equipped as standard.
In this type of rear wing, the air flow becomes a complicated flow way when the DRS is opened.

Red Bull : The aerodynamics have been updated and there are no cuts at both ends of the under plate.
The other team has made a gap flap there, but Red Bull has not done so yet.
The update of their area will still continue.

Haas : It was confirmed that the T wing was vibrating on the onboard camera image.
They were pointed out by the FIA that the vibrations of the T wings were problematic in terms of safety during the opening race.
Are they made thin to lighten the shark fin, or are they inexperienced in Dallara's carbon technology?
Either way, it will be disadvantageous in terms of aerodynamics that the T wings will vibrate.

Today, a trend of aerodynamics is to put a cut in the back and forth at both ends of the under plate.
This position is done on the side where the undercut of the side pod is the maximum width.
(See the picture of F1 Tsushin.)

This is as a gap flap at both ends of the under plate.
If you do not see the under plate from the bottom side, it is difficult to understand how to clear the flat bottom regulation.
It seems that aerodynamics design is done by utilizing that the end part of the flat bottom can be attached with R of less than 50 mm.

From the time of this year's new car announcement, it was Haas that adopted this shape.
Today, Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren are also following it.

In Midfield, Haas is showing a good speed, but this achievement may be because they decided to adopt this aerodynamic idea from the early stage and developed aerodynamics.

Mercedes:
It was confirmed that the two drivers had windshield of different specifications.
Rosberg is a big saw type. Hamilton is a normal orthodox, short windshield.
This may be because drivers have different preferences.

Mercedes:
Windshield of the cockpit opening of Rosberg is, it was found to have a sawtooth-like shape.
(Hamilton of the machine could not be confirmed in the television image.)
Shape is a relatively large saw cut, is generating a large three-dimensional vortex.
Did Select any of these shape in what intention, I do not know at the moment.
In the future, to observe and note whether there is an example also be employed other team.

Mercedes:
Continued to use a spoon-shaped rear wing from the spa. This is to improve the flow of the wing upper wing tip.

Red Bull:
Monza because higher top speed also average speed, they also brought a special low drag rear wing package.
However, the content is something simple. (Better to the high downforce shape is complicated.)

Unlike previous wing end plate, vertical slits and the top of the horizontal slit of the leading edge is closed.
Since the slit interference resistance is to generate, close is the low-drag.
The purpose of the horizontal slit is a reduction of the wing tip vortex, it may lower the might need at a lower wing.

And wing stay is no longer a swan-neck, connecting the stay to the main wing underside.
This will did it why? Incomprehensible.

DRS of the actuating device also new, was in close contact with the form to the main wing upper surface.
For however the rear wing flap center of the gap between the air flow energy of, was excellent better of the old type.

Mercedes :
Spa has a high average speed. Similarly last year, using a spoon-shaped rear wing.
(Canada Grand Prix later?) Monkey sheet is the type that was tinged with R to the edge, it is still used. This is to emphasize the sucking of the engine exhaust stream than clearly downforce.

The Mercedes, such as this is also the power unit output also chassis performance weakness is not. (This season of the power unit is reliability might have lacked a little.)
The current landscape, or will change in the technical regulation significantly reform of next season?

Renault :
Kevin Magnussen has had a big crash in the Race.
He is when you exit the Eau Rouge, suddenly rear is slid.
And it was subjected to counter-steer, but at the same the moment, the rear of the grip had returned.
As a result, much of the excessive front occurs, he flew out to the course right.

It was a truly a problem in this crash, but that the fixing of the side protector in the impact of the collision with the tire barrier has come off obviously.
This time lucky, but there was no damage to his head, we could lose a life future in the structure that deviates in so easily. I hope that they will improve in the next round.

Sauber :
Perhaps it is, most output on the grid is running on the power unit of a lower specification.
I think that it just is not the cause, but also speed also the constructors' standings on the course has become the lowest.
This season, they have not yet won the point. But Manor have won one point.

Mercedes :
I noticed the next thing at the time of the pit stop.
The flap upper surface of the front wing, looked like a lot of the vane is installed. The vanes, very low.
Flap upper surface is receding angle, therefore, it leads to air flow outwards. And its course, the base of the angle is consistent.
Once i know the detailed shape, also plans to update this page.

Agree to the cockpit front protection from the 2018 season :
F1 Strategy Group meeting, was agreed unanimously by introducing a front protection of the driver head.
At the moment, most likely halo concept is adopted.
This, however, accident to Massa at the 2009 Hungarian GP can not be defense.
Why, the screen type that Red Bull is testing is not supported?

Sauber:
The wing end plate of the new rear wing was introduced. However, it was very skeptical items.
The end plate, the slit in order to prevent the stall of the wing downstream, are four open.
However, since there is a slit also just below the main wing, that is the question.
In this state, the negative pressure region of the wing lower surface, resulting in the intake air from the outside of the wing end plate.

To the wing, the air is, what state to pass straight in the direction from the front to the rear, the aerodynamic efficiency is the best.
Original wing end plates, to achieve it.

To the area where the flow in the wing lower surface stalls, possible to supply the kinetic energy is, it is the purpose of opening the slit in the wing end plate.
open the slit beneath the wing, extra air entering from the outside of the end plate to the wing lower surface, Downforce is reduced.
In this case, the suction force is generated from the end plate to the outside. This is a superfluous Drag.

Recent aerodynamic development is evaluated mainly in CFD and the window tunnel.
Why They Will was judged such a design that it is a good idea? I do think that it is part of the problem, it is the system itself that they carry out the evaluation.

Mercedes :
This season, Mercedes is the front brake ducts have elaborate, it is complex and three-dimensional structure.
In the front wheel of the vertex, the air flow is slowing down under the influence of rotation, to separate to both sides.
To accept it flow back, curved saucer is, at the top of the brake duct area.

So as not to enter the garbage to the internal brake duct, it has been defense in nine of horizontal fins to the intake.
This fin is moving forward at an angle also helpful to put a tape in the rain (reduce the aperture area).
Since the air flow along the tape is diverted in the lateral direction, it does not adversely affect the aerodynamics.

As the exhaust heat of the brake does not leak to the inside of the wheel, upright and the wheel of the clearance is a barely.

In the portion where the wishbone and the upright are in contact with, Yes to seal a soft parts, they are friendly to the air flow.

On the other hand in the rear, Gurnee is added to the Monkey sheet, it has increased slightly downforce.
Monkey white of processing of sheet inside is a special thing, are very good in the heat.

Top of the gearbox casing has a three-dimensional shape.
Of the rear behind the upper arm, mounting position of the vehicle body side, the distance between the left and right is short.
This is a possible lengthening the arm, and both achieve aerodynamic important rear narrowness.
In the vicinity of the vehicle body mounting of the upper arm(front leg), and the cowl to the chimney, we have done the exhaust heat of the side pod.

Although Mercedes may seem in perfect condition, the seam of the rear wing stay and the engine cowl, there is room for improvement.

Toro rosso :
Of the front suspension, the front lower arm, direct, the vertical fin is attached!
It is in the area of the brake ducts allowed in regulation.
Arm directly, for mounting the aerodynamic adduct is breaking the wall of beautifully idea!
Although not produce downforce in this fin alone, by to clean the flow of this area, it has contributed to the aerodynamic.

This time I, tie rod of the STR11 is, I noticed that there in a position higher than the upper arm.

Mercedes :
Monkey sheet is small change, the gap has become three.
Barcelona, in the regulation of the current rear wing, to request the maximum downforce.
Barcelona, in the regulation of the current rear wing, from the fact that to request a maximum of downforce.

Toro rosso :
Rear end of the side pod is the left-right asymmetry.
Left high, it was heated exhaust lot.

Haas and Sauber, but were run with the new spec of the power unit of the Ferrari,
I do not know what was also available Toro Rosso.

Force India :
Of the side pod, new rear end was lower.
This is the opposite of the way from the way that I had explained after the Chinese Grand Prix.
This means that they are, were changed a little bit the first route.

Mclaren : In the qualifying, it was recorded Alonso fast time in sector 3.
It is, 0.462 seconds behind the top of the Mercedes (Hamilton).
Than the Ferrari and Williams and Force India, it was able to claim to be superior in the sector 3.
Since aerodynamic at low speed is excellent, it can be expected in Monaco and Hungary.

However, I'm wondering about now Honda of work.
The structure of the exhaust pipe that can be seen from the outside, that is downward.
Mercedes is by directing the exhaust pipe upward, it has achieved a narrow side pod.
Why Honda is not in the same way, I can not understand their thinking.

Force India :
When viewed from behind, the upper arm of the rear suspension, close to horizontal.
At the same the same position, there is an upper surface of rear end of the side pod.
In the current regulation, it can not be equipped with the lower wing to the rear.
Therefore, their concept is, by narrowing the rear of the side pod, airflow of the diffuser top surface is at a high speed.
Than the rear wing, towards the diffuser (to use the ground effect) it has a higher aerodynamic efficiency.

Positive, if the upper arm is horizontal, occur the following adverse effects.
(1) Rear roll center of the increases.
(2) Camber change is not the ideal value.
However, the current F1 has priority aerodynamic performance.
The angle of the wishbone when I saw the front suspension from the front is one example.

Toro rosso :
The top surface of the side pod rear, but wavy 3D shape.
When viewed from behind, the rear cowl is higher than the upper arm of the rear suspension.

Perhaps, this time of the rear wing, there is a possibility that 200mm or less.
China is back straight is long, and from that the power unit is important,
They equipped with old Ferrari, it is necessary to reduce the air resistance.
In the video of the race, Toro Rosso straight rate was slower than rivals.

Mercedes of Paddy Lowe was speaking.
[Now of Renault and Honda, it is more powerful than last year's Ferrari.]
If this is true, but Toro Rosso are you equipped with the weakest power unit in the current

Toro Rosso was quick in Melbourne, but Bahrain was lowered a little position
Bahrain, but more because the power is important.
Even with it, Toro Rosso since defeated one of the Red Bull in the Race, the chassis is the excellence.
Want to pay attention to Barcelona performance aerodynamic performance is very important.

However, Haas of rookie teams, because higher than the Toro Rosso can be highly valued.
Though a powerful version than the Toro Rosso, even so.
However, were designed Haas chassis are said to be Dallara Italy.

Williams is clearly dropped the position than last year.
In the aerodynamic surface, when I saw the rear of the cowling from behind, a large arch stands out.
Ideas that they have learned from Mercedes.
But it is, it would not be a device to obtain a large advantage.

Toro rosso :
In Friday free practice 1, the machine was spin. At that time, the driver made a full counter-steering.
It was found in the video. Caster angle of the front wheel is large.
In recent years of F1, at the corner of continuous to the left and right, the vehicle is rolling movement.
The reason for this might caster angle is affected.
At least, this year's Toro rosso has a large caster angle.
In the future, I want to pay attention if there is an on-board video.


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