2y ago

FIA’s F1 spray guard quest might be mission impossible

FIA's F1 spray guard quest might be mission impossible - The Race

Forgive the click-baity title and the fact this is from The Race. I thought it was still an interesting article about a topic that hasn't gotten a lot of coverage.

I really hope they can figure out something to enable true wet weather racing.

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- From what I've read in other articles the problem isn't so much the capacity to displace water. The problem has more to do with the ground-effect design and how dirty air throws water up rather than out.
A little bit off topic but I'm seriously questionning how important is the completely open-wheel design. For a decade now we're hearing the turbulence the tire creates is a major hurdle to aero development that inevitably leads to cars that can't race each other. And I'm not talking about making aero cars like WEC but something more similar to a dialed down RedBull X2010. Open suspension, open cockpit but enclosed wheels. I just don't understand why the tires have to be out.
Sure this wouldn't fix the rooster tail spray modern cars create but it would mitigate all the water the tires displace. What am I missing here, why can't we cover the tires?
- As far as I know the only reason F1 regulations require open-wheel designs is because of tradition, not because it has any performance benefit. When F1 cars were much simpler (50s and 60s) the fastest design paradigm was skinny open wheels, but as aero has become a bigger consideration open wheels have become a hindrance (from a performance standpoint).
  I suppose the root question is how much of F1 regulations should be based in tradition and how much should be based in performance. Would an all electric RB2010 type car out-perform a traditional F1 car? Probably. Would it still be an "F1 car (TM)" though? Well, that's subjective.
  
  Ahhhh traditions. The anchor of progress. I would really like if someone gave me a proper reason as to why open wheels are desirable apart from, and even that would be a stretch, looks. Not that it would be proper anyway.
  
  Just looked it up. Looks fine. Just make them fragile enough to keep that open wheel style racing (no rubbing). If it does improve the racing all the haters and purists won't matter. Same thing as the halo. If they want rubbing action like formula E, make them sturdier.

10 comments