Red Bull RB22

[matt_s]

In terms of the minimal sidepods, one of the previously touted theoretical issues (as previously mentioned in this thread) was control of the front wheel wake. The high pressure area in front of the wider pods was utilised to keep the wake outboard.

In these regs, it was generally suggested (prior to launch season) that the intention of the floor boards was to keep the wake inboard.

Some people started to realise that the way the regs were worded allowed for some outwash/upwash geometries. We've seen that many of the teams have taken this approach, with Merc and RB using the most extreme upwash approach.

Could this solution, in addition to some of the other items like FW and front brake ducting (and the diffuser holes??) be enough to give the wake control they need for the smaller pods?

[Lasssept]

[tev33]

https://x.com/JaheimCrea35040/status/20 ... 39517?s=20
Pictures of the rb22

[cplchanb]

https://i.postimg.cc/8CWNffY0/Screenshot-4872.png

the RB rake is back in full swing!

[euv2]

Will be interesting to see how the rake compares to other cars, will need to wait for the Bahrain test for that.

[Lasssept]

[Badger]

More of a half-pod really by the looks of it. There's definitely some volume there but it's less than others.

Also I can't see any cooling outlet near the headrest, I though there was something there in the pictures released before.

[OO7]

the side pods look quite similar to those on the early 2023 Mercedes W14 car

[organic]

https://i.postimg.cc/8CWNffY0/Screenshot-4872.png

Some rake there clearly

[AR3-GP]

Also I can't see any cooling outlet near the headrest, I though there was something there in the pictures released before.

I think there are two different engine covers. The pictures from the morning don't have much of an outlet at the rear. The car in the gif appears more open at the rear, but no longer has the canon exit midway along the sidepod.

[AR3-GP]

Bpillar says that this is the front wing actuator. So they have 1 on each side of the nosecone. You can also see optical targets (bullseye), indicating that they are looking at front wing deflection.

[Paa]

Bpillar says that this is the front wing actuator. So they have 1 on each side of the nosecone. You can also see optical targets (bullseye), indicating that they are looking at front wing deflection.

https://i.postimg.cc/MHF51HMw/image.png

Does flexiwing have any role in the active aero formula, or no real benefit from it anymore? Is there any scenario where it could be still beneficial?

[organic]

Bpillar says that this is the front wing actuator. So they have 1 on each side of the nosecone. You can also see optical targets (bullseye), indicating that they are looking at front wing deflection.

https://i.postimg.cc/MHF51HMw/image.png

Does flexiwing have any role in the active aero formula, or no real benefit from it anymore? Is there any scenario where it could be still beneficial?

Could still be helpful to find tune balance between low- and high-speed corners I imagine.

[AR3-GP]

That makes sense.

[organic]

Super bluff front of the sidepod region. Compared to others I imagine there is a larger stagnation pressure at the leading edge of the floor despite the sidepod not being as wide

The belief must be that this forward, bluff sidepod is enough to control the lower/mid tyre wake. The exposed sis tube wing, like previous regs, is there but without the wing mirror stay attaching to the end to reduce power of tip vortex. The vortex that forms with suction side above sis-wing will rotate with a sense that helps to drive outwash of the upper-mid tyre wake, and increase downwashing effect of SP

The floor edge curl and stacked venetian blinds generating up+outwash will be helping to manage tyre wake too. Combined with more flexibility to create and position structures shed by FW, maybe these are sufficient to make this sidepod approach work.

Overall you end up with less frontal area