Formula One's most successful team, Scuderia Ferrari have unveiled their brand-new machine, the F1-75 with which the Italian outfit's young driver pair of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz will race in the sport's 73rd season.
A place to discuss the characteristics of the cars in Formula One, both current as well as historical. Laptimes, driver worshipping and team chatter do not belong here.
Maybe. But i think there was more about it than just the wedge shape. I talked to two engineers who designed the F2002 and it sounded like there was much more about this fuel tank. I have no proof, but as they still do not talk about any detail of it, i assume its more than just the shape.
Could be something like pontoons along the outside of the safety cell. As the tall midsection tank depletes, only left with fuel either side of the driver. Depends on how the regs were worded at the time.
That used to be fairly common practice as I recall. I think that the FIA eventually regulated it out with chassis rules. Back in the mid-noughties, Renault/Enstone had a very rear-biased car (by contemporary accounts), and this led to mega-starts (more traction, allegedly), this was during the last refuelling era and cars also had to qualify on start fuel.
With battery placement such as it is now, I wonder if fuel tank shape could create a more rearward bias when full, but still meet the requirements of the regulations during scrutineering/qualifying.
Perspective - Understanding that sometimes the truths we cling to depend greatly on our own point of view.
That used to be fairly common practice as I recall. I think that the FIA eventually regulated it out with chassis rules. Back in the mid-noughties, Renault/Enstone had a very rear-biased car (by contemporary accounts), and this led to mega-starts (more traction, allegedly), this was during the last refuelling era and cars also had to qualify on start fuel.
With battery placement such as it is now, I wonder if fuel tank shape could create a more rearward bias when full, but still meet the requirements of the regulations during scrutineering/qualifying.
Perhaps contingent on the regs. The fuel tank can't be aft of the front of the power unit, nor more than 0,8m wide, and it's forward limit is tied up in an FIA CAD file so we can only speculate. Moving fuel mass center back would seemingly entail shortening the gearbox.
Maybe. But i think there was more about it than just the wedge shape. I talked to two engineers who designed the F2002 and it sounded like there was much more about this fuel tank. I have no proof, but as they still do not talk about any detail of it, i assume its more than just the shape.
Could be something like pontoons along the outside of the safety cell. As the tall midsection tank depletes, only left with fuel either side of the driver. Depends on how the regs were worded at the time.
Regs only said, if i remember correctly, that the fuel tank must be situated between the front face of the engine and the drivers back when viewed in lateral projection and that no fuel can be stored more than 300mm forward of the highest point at which the drivers back makes contact with his seat. 2 litres of fuel were allowed to be kept outside the survival cell(only that which was necessary to run the engine). And that fuel must not be stored more than 400mm from the longitudinal axis of the car.
These were the only rules regarding the fuel tank. Of course it had to be a single rubber bladder, surrounded by a crushable structure etc.
How "former" is this "Former" mechanic. Mandatory weight distribution is a newer regulation. If he's from an older generation, then it won't have much context because back then teams would actually have different weight distribution.
Chances are high weβre talking about quite of a former one.
In the refuelling era, one might be able to use this information to figure the fuel state of the car at the time it failed. That might be useful in determining what their strategies would be regarding fuel use etc. But other than that, I'm at a loss.
The fuel state thing makes sense, true! I also agree with your last sentence.
Regs only said, if i remember correctly, that the fuel tank must be situated between the front face of the engine and the drivers back when viewed in lateral projection and that no fuel can be stored more than 300mm forward of the highest point at which the drivers back makes contact with his seat. 2 litres of fuel were allowed to be kept outside the survival cell(only that which was necessary to run the engine). And that fuel must not be stored more than 400mm from the longitudinal axis of the car.
These were the only rules regarding the fuel tank. Of course it had to be a single rubber bladder, surrounded by a crushable structure etc.
Regs only said, if i remember correctly, that the fuel tank must be situated between the front face of the engine and the drivers back when viewed in lateral projection and that no fuel can be stored more than 300mm forward of the highest point at which the drivers back makes contact with his seat. 2 litres of fuel were allowed to be kept outside the survival cell(only that which was necessary to run the engine). And that fuel must not be stored more than 400mm from the longitudinal axis of the car.
These were the only rules regarding the fuel tank. Of course it had to be a single rubber bladder, surrounded by a crushable structure etc.
This was the case in 2002?
2002 or 2003, but i think there were no changes made in relation to the fuel tank, so its the same anyway.
Can someone more technically minded explain this huge bulge behind the driver's head?
Afaik the 2019, 2020 and even 2021 Ferraris were much slimmer here, and they haven't moved more cooling up top compared to those years, so why the bulbous bodywork in that area?
Afaik the 2019, 2020 and even 2021 Ferraris were much slimmer here, and they haven't moved more cooling up top compared to those years, so why the bulbous bodywork in that area?
I'ts just lighting and angle, making the engine cover appear bigger and wider. There is a small bulb going down from Halo and bellow the 75 years marking, this is for hot air coming from the radiator and gills to interact. Similar but much bigger geometry can be found on W13 and McLaren.
Geometry of the bulb is designed to help extract hot air from under the bodywork via gills. This improves flow under the bodywork, which improves (speeds up) the flow through the radiators.
Geometry of the bulb is designed to help extract hot air from under the bodywork via gills. This improves flow under the bodywork, which improves (speeds up) the flow through the radiators.
Thanks. How come all the hot air exits in this valley don't seem to negatively impact performance?
Geometry of the bulb is designed to help extract hot air from under the bodywork via gills. This improves flow under the bodywork, which improves (speeds up) the flow through the radiators.
Thanks. How come all the hot air exits in this valley don't seem to negatively impact performance?
Because of the exits layout that goes towards the top and center of the car. I would bet the cold air flowing on the sidepods pushes those low energy hot turbulent gases even higher and more center just above the beam wing where the exhaust is.
