If we look at the types of engines used in various car racing series worldwide, there is a very definite split between the US and elsewhere. The US has a hugely successful racing structure that predominantly uses pushrod (overhead valve/OHV) engines. From those racing at the local tracks right through to NASCAR Sprint Cup at the very top of the closed-wheel racing tree, the engines are based on a very similar architecture, namely that of production pushrod engines. Even the bespoke Sprint...
Formula One aerodynamics is driven by several toolsets – track testing, full-scale tunnel, model-scale tunnel testing and CFD. The debate as to which method is most accurate or productive seems to be never ending; debate is healthy but sometimes it helps to step back and look at first principles. Of the four toolsets, only one – track testing – is truly correct, the rest being approximations of real-car aerodynamics at the track. But track testing is restricted, expensive...
McLaren and Lotus debuted cars in the 1981 Formula One season featuring CFRP (carbon fibre reinforced polymer) chassis, and since then the sport has been dominated by the material. Its combination of high strength and light weight makes it the perfect material for car construction. And in the intervening 30 years, engineers’ understanding of the material’s properties and capabilities have improved markedly. Some of the biggest advances have been in the area of design and...
At first glance, wheels may appear to be a fairly simple component, but in Formula One they are in fact highly optimised aerodynamic devices. The airflow through a wheel can have a considerable impact on the overall aerodynamic performance of a car, and is the subject of intense development by teams. Although the FIA has tried to regulate out such developments, teams are constantly finding ways to circumvent the rules to gain improved performance. So what systems have been devised to eke...
Software plays a major role these days in defining the Formula One racecar, providing engineers with the primary tools for designing and manufacturing the vehicles. Thanks to its highly competitive culture and substantial budgets, Formula One has always been at the leading edge of software technology, embracing the latest software tools in pursuit of every performance advantage. These range from weight reduction and improved aerodynamic efficiency to decreased development and manufacturing...