Illegal skid block tricks discovered

[kptaylor]

https://www.gpfans.com/en/f1-news/10682 ... -f1-teams/

According to Japanese outlet as-web.jp, F1's governing body have found evidence that several teams were using so-called skid blocks that expand when heated, allegedly reducing wear on the undertray and allowing for a lower ride height.

Interesting. Which teams have been the sparkiest lately? Curious if this will result in penalties or merely a slap on the wrist and a "don't do it again" mentality. Clearly circumventing the rules.

[SiLo]

Jo Bauer, the FIA’s technical delegate, is said to have taken notice of the issue and examined all skid blocks before the qualifying session. During his checks, he allegedly discovered devices on several cars that were clearly intended only to heat the skid blocks.

Seems quite damning really. I understand if the teams are just taking advantage of the natural expansion of the block, but having specific devices intended to heat it is surely too far not to punish them under the rules?

[cplchanb]

so will this amount to any penalties? prob not!

[vorticism]

AFAIK there's no rule preventing use of an electric heater to heat bodywork, unless they'd classify thermal expansion as enough movement to constitute a movable aero device, in which case, where do you draw the line? The exhaust pipe and the engine cover also undergo thermal expansion. The brake ducts undergo thermal expansion.

[AR3-GP]

Thermal expansion alone isn't enough to make a difference here. It sounds like some teams devised elaborate mechanisms that converted temperature changes into larger displacements of the skid block. Think of how a thermostat works inside a cooling system. There's a special compound which when cold is expanded and resist the spring pressure to open the thermostat. When the coolant warms, the compound changes phase and the spring is able to open the thermostat.

[Dee]

Thermal expansion alone isn't enough to make a difference here. It sounds like some teams devised elaborate mechanisms that converted temperature changes into larger displacements of the skid block. Think of how a thermostat works inside a cooling system. There's a special compound which when cold is expanded and resist the spring pressure to open the thermostat. When the coolant warms, the compound changes phase and the spring is able to open the thermostat.

Would a qualifying lap generate enough heat to make this work over a lap or is this a race pace issue?

[AR3-GP]

Thermal expansion alone isn't enough to make a difference here. It sounds like some teams devised elaborate mechanisms that converted temperature changes into larger displacements of the skid block. Think of how a thermostat works inside a cooling system. There's a special compound which when cold is expanded and resist the spring pressure to open the thermostat. When the coolant warms, the compound changes phase and the spring is able to open the thermostat.

Would a qualifying lap generate enough heat to make this work over a lap or is this a race pace issue?

I would ask a different question. When do you accumulate the most plank wear? Short runs or long runs? It's the long runs. Therefore, in my opinion, these inventions are designed for the races. Cars are always bottoming and it's the accumulated wear that matters. They don't do enough laps in qualifying for this to matter. It's 5 or 6 laps at full speed. It's for the same reason that teams run the car lower in the sprints than the GP. The sprints are shorter so you can afford more bottoming on each lap before you wear through the limits (i.e run the car lower)

[Dee]

Thermal expansion alone isn't enough to make a difference here. It sounds like some teams devised elaborate mechanisms that converted temperature changes into larger displacements of the skid block. Think of how a thermostat works inside a cooling system. There's a special compound which when cold is expanded and resist the spring pressure to open the thermostat. When the coolant warms, the compound changes phase and the spring is able to open the thermostat.

Would a qualifying lap generate enough heat to make this work over a lap or is this a race pace issue?

I would ask a different question. When do you accumulate the most plank wear? Short runs or long runs? It's the long runs. Therefore, in my opinion, these inventions are designed for the races. Cars are always bottoming and it's the accumulated wear that matters. They don't do enough laps in qualifying for this to matter. It's 5 or 6 laps at full speed. It's for the same reason that teams run the car lower in the sprints than the GP. The sprints are shorter so you can afford more bottoming on each lap before you wear through the limits (i.e run the car lower)

Maybe it's for both, the lower the car is in qualifying, the faster the lap no? I'm just wondering if one lap generates enough heat to lower the car, but yes, I agree, that this was primarily done for race pace.

[Gillian]

Would a qualifying lap generate enough heat to make this work over a lap or is this a race pace issue?

I would ask a different question. When do you accumulate the most plank wear? Short runs or long runs? It's the long runs. Therefore, in my opinion, these inventions are designed for the races. Cars are always bottoming and it's the accumulated wear that matters. They don't do enough laps in qualifying for this to matter. It's 5 or 6 laps at full speed. It's for the same reason that teams run the car lower in the sprints than the GP. The sprints are shorter so you can afford more bottoming on each lap before you wear through the limits (i.e run the car lower)

Maybe it's for both, the lower the car is in qualifying, the faster the lap no? I'm just wondering if one lap generates enough heat to lower the car, but yes, I agree, that this was primarily done for race pace.

Excessive bottoming out is not beneficial ofcourse so it would susprise me if there is any team that can't run at the desired height during quallifying due to plank wear.

[WardenOfTheNorth]

Can someone explain how a skid lock that gets bigger allows a lower ride height? Surely a bigger block would raise ride height?

What am I missing?

[AR3-GP]

Can someone explain how a skid lock that gets bigger allows a lower ride height? Surely a bigger block would raise ride height?

What am I missing?

The car is not sitting on the ground all the way around the lap so it's not raising the ride height where it hurts them. They try to lower the car to increase ground effect in the corners which are taken anywhere from 100-250kph, but the consequence is that on the straights in race trim at +300km/h without DRS, the car makes too much downforce to stay off the ground. This is why many teams developed LICO strategies to allow them to run the car lower in the corners without destroying the plank at the end of the straights without DRS. LICO is already optimal for the fuel consumption, brake temperatures, and energy recuperation so it's a positive feedback loop.

[kptaylor]

Can someone explain how a skid lock that gets bigger allows a lower ride height? Surely a bigger block would raise ride height?

What am I missing?

The heating extends the skid block, so the block is wearing (and sparking) rather than the wooden plank. It's not expanding that much so as to interfere with ground clearance, but just enough to wear first rather than have plank wear. This is allowing them to run at a lower height and remain within the regulations on plank wear.

[CMSMJ1]

Can someone explain how a skid lock that gets bigger allows a lower ride height? Surely a bigger block would raise ride height?

What am I missing?

This is a great question.

I thought the blocks were a defined material?

[Farnborough]

Can someone explain how a skid lock that gets bigger allows a lower ride height? Surely a bigger block would raise ride height?

What am I missing?

The car is not sitting on the ground all the way around the lap so it's not raising the ride height where it hurts them. They try to lower the car to increase ground effect in the corners which are taken anywhere from 100-250kph, but the consequence is that on the straights in race trim at +300km/h without DRS, the car makes too much downforce to stay off the ground. This is why many teams developed LICO strategies to allow them to run the car lower in the corners without destroying the plank at the end of the straights without DRS. LICO is already optimal for the fuel consumption, brake temperatures, and energy recuperation so it's a positive feedback loop.

Before this, and also "clarified" was to allow the primary measured area of plank to flex upward into a malleable substrate, and so wear less, while the bulk of the plank (outside reference and scrutineered location) took more wear during use.

There's substantial amount of plank material missing after a race. You can also see the plume of material coming out through diffuser flow at point on track of most compromise.

The correction in 2022, subsequently the lift of various points in floor edge/tunnel roof, just made this scenario more prevalent in chasing downforce by running as low as possible.

[Farnborough]

Can someone explain how a skid lock that gets bigger allows a lower ride height? Surely a bigger block would raise ride height?

What am I missing?

This is a great question.

I thought the blocks were a defined material?

I understand the same.

If they were to surface mount a cooler to them though, say hot oil, with unique and robust flow device ...... then that could heat the block.

Sounds like there's something being adopted to influence the block material.