Red Bull RB22

[f1isgood]

The car has a lot of subtle ideas.

[vorticism]

^I agree.

I think what they're doing with the sidepod is creating greater continuity between the underside of the nose and the floor. The drawing is not to scale, but it illustrates how the sidepod overhang can increase the width of the transition between the nose and the floor ramp (red triangle) if treated as a continuous surface. Won't know for sure until there are further photos.


viewtopic.php?p=1322315#p1322315

[Emag]

^I agree.

I think what they're doing with the sidepod is creating greater continuity between the underside of the nose and the floor. The drawing is not to scale, but it illustrates how the sidepod overhang can increase the width of the transition between the nose and the floor ramp (red triangle) if treated as a continuous surface. Won't know for sure until there are further photos.

https://i.postimg.cc/kg08FxJL/RB22floor ... ticism.jpg
viewtopic.php?p=1322315#p1322315

I know this is illustrating the sidepod so it was probably not on your mind when you made it, but I wonder how big is the diffuser sidewall hole on this car? In some angles it looks like they don't even have a diffuser sidewall !?

[AR3-GP]

I think that if you are increasing the area of the forward floor and focused on extracting as much downforce as possible from the front of the floor, then there won't be enough energy left in the underbody flow to make it to the diffuser exit without separating. So that could explain why RB appears to have the largest mousehole in the diffuser. It would be because they need more static pressure recovery.

[PlatinumZealot]

I see it now: The radiators are obviously turned on their sides so I change my mind. There will be no undercut. This "zero-pod" is a different way of getting clean airflow to the rear of the car while hoping to exploit some outwash.

[AR3-GP]

I see it now: The radiators are obviously turned on their sides so I change my mind. There will be no undercut. This "zero-pod" is a different way of getting clean airflow to the rear of the car while hoping to exploit some outwash.

I also suspect that the radiators are on their sides. Not something we haven't seen before, but probably unique in 2026 if it is. That will be something to look out for when bodywork comes off during the season.

[ME4ME]

I doubt that. Makes no sense with the horizontal inlets.

[marcel171281]

I doubt that. Makes no sense with the horizontal inlets.

With some internal ducting that would very much be possible.

[venkyhere]

^I agree.

I think what they're doing with the sidepod is creating greater continuity between the underside of the nose and the floor. The drawing is not to scale, but it illustrates how the sidepod overhang can increase the width of the transition between the nose and the floor ramp (red triangle) if treated as a continuous surface. Won't know for sure until there are further photos.

https://i.postimg.cc/kg08FxJL/RB22floor ... ticism.jpg
viewtopic.php?p=1322315#p1322315

Instead of the traditional flat floor perception of a 'wedge' , can't we perceive the whole underside (from nose-underside to diffuser) in this drawing as two long throat weak venturis (leaky as well), separated by the 'tub' ?

(because it seems like 'entry to the underside' begins right at the rear part of the nose itself, so the 'floor area increase' is not just the red triangle)

[SiLo]

^I agree.

I think what they're doing with the sidepod is creating greater continuity between the underside of the nose and the floor. The drawing is not to scale, but it illustrates how the sidepod overhang can increase the width of the transition between the nose and the floor ramp (red triangle) if treated as a continuous surface. Won't know for sure until there are further photos.

https://i.postimg.cc/kg08FxJL/RB22floor ... ticism.jpg
viewtopic.php?p=1322315#p1322315

Can they not have a piece of bodywork there anyway and maintain and undercut?

[Badger]

I doubt that. Makes no sense with the horizontal inlets.

With some internal ducting that would very much be possible.

Still not an efficient solution. The sidepod is plenty wide enough to have a modern radiator mounted horizontally.

[AR3-GP]

I doubt that. Makes no sense with the horizontal inlets.

With some internal ducting that would very much be possible.

Still not an efficient solution. The sidepod is plenty wide enough to have a modern radiator mounted horizontally.

What makes it less efficient? Without seeing the area of the radiator (if it’s on the side), it’s impossible to say. You could also have a long radiator that is on its side. The benefit would be that you are lowering the center of mass. If you do not have an undercut, then it would be logical to use that space to lower the position of the radiator.

[vorticism]

I think what they're doing with the sidepod is creating greater continuity between the underside of the nose and the floor. The drawing is not to scale, but it illustrates how the sidepod overhang can increase the width of the transition between the nose and the floor ramp (red triangle) if treated as a continuous surface. Won't know for sure until there are further photos.
https://i.postimg.cc/kg08FxJL/RB22floor ... ticism.jpg
viewtopic.php?p=1322315#p1322315

Can they not have a piece of bodywork there anyway and maintain and undercut?

It gets convoluted.

--only the sidepod volume exists in that specific region
--the sidepod bodywork can only have one section in x, y, or z yet potientially needs to bridge several things
--sidepod may or may not encapsulate the side IPS
--the side mirrors can only have up to two stays; one can only connect to the chassis, the other only to the sidepod bodywork
--if the IPS is in the engine cover, and it's permissible to have only one mirror stay (the long horizontal one) then the sidepod could exist only as a thin extension of the floor but with nowhere to place the main side cooling inlet aperture you’d need 100% centerline inlets, or a tricky hidden inlet hidden at the chassis interface (if legal--maybe)

I covered this somewhat in a post last summer. Text ommitted, click through the quote to read it.
--First image, lower left example, shows a floor lip extension while still conceding a blunt form to meet the IPS and the outer mirror stay
--Second image, a hidden main side cooling inlet which doesn’t need use the expected Aperture allowance (unconfirmed legality)
--Final image, a depiction of how small the sidepod legality volume is (in purple)

High res: https://x.com/athalkunni/status/1949527890510659684

above

Instead of the traditional flat floor perception of a 'wedge' , can't we perceive the whole underside (from nose-underside to diffuser) in this drawing as two long throat weak venturis (leaky as well), separated by the 'tub' ?

(because it seems like 'entry to the underside' begins right at the rear part of the nose itself, so the 'floor area increase' is not just the red triangle)

It's built into these regs. There is a small ramp at the front of these floors. RBR appear to be extending it.

[SiLo]

I think what they're doing with the sidepod is creating greater continuity between the underside of the nose and the floor. The drawing is not to scale, but it illustrates how the sidepod overhang can increase the width of the transition between the nose and the floor ramp (red triangle) if treated as a continuous surface. Won't know for sure until there are further photos.
https://i.postimg.cc/kg08FxJL/RB22floor ... ticism.jpg
viewtopic.php?p=1322315#p1322315

Can they not have a piece of bodywork there anyway and maintain and undercut?

It gets convoluted.

--only the sidepod volume exists in that specific region
--the sidepod bodywork can only have one section in x, y, or z yet potientially needs to bridge several things
--sidepod may or may not encapsulate the side IPS
--the side mirrors can only have up to two stays; one can only connect to the chassis, the other only to the sidepod bodywork
--if the IPS is in the engine cover, and it's permissible to have only one mirror stay (the long horizontal one) then the sidepod could exist only as a thin extension of the floor but with nowhere to place the main side cooling inlet aperture you’d need 100% centerline inlets, or a tricky hidden inlet hidden at the chassis interface (if legal--maybe)

I covered this somewhat in a post last summer. Text ommitted, click through the quote to read it.
--First image, lower left example, shows a floor lip extension while still conceding a blunt form to meet the IPS and the outer mirror stay
--Second image, a hidden main side cooling inlet which doesn’t need use the expected Aperture allowance (unconfirmed legality)
--Final image, a depiction of how small the sidepod legality volume is (in purple)

https://i.postimg.cc/Vshxt4m1/FLExs.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/wTsSQJjN/hiddeninlet.jpg

https://i.postimg.cc/Sx63wh8N/sidepodvolumes.jpg
High res: https://x.com/athalkunni/status/1949527890510659684

above

Instead of the traditional flat floor perception of a 'wedge' , can't we perceive the whole underside (from nose-underside to diffuser) in this drawing as two long throat weak venturis (leaky as well), separated by the 'tub' ?

(because it seems like 'entry to the underside' begins right at the rear part of the nose itself, so the 'floor area increase' is not just the red triangle)

It's built into these regs. There is a small ramp at the front of these floors. RBR appear to be extending it.

Ah, the same rules that defined the shape of the Mercedes zero pods? Where they had some odd curvatures but only because of those specific x, y, Z sections?

[Badger]

RB seems to have moved their seat forward, similar to the W13. I had a suspicion when I saw it in Barcelona but I was waiting for a good comparison picture. I would ignore the MCL40 because it is disproportionate, W17 shows it clearly.This is a major difference compared to previous gen where they went the opposite direction. This should open up some interesting packaging solutions, I am expecting more to come on the sidepod side.