Audi R26

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JRodrigues
JRodrigues
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Joined: 06 Dec 2011, 17:19

Re: Audi R26

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Is that some kind of air outlet right above rear light?

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john downforce
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Joined: 31 Jan 2026, 18:17
Location: Suriname

Re: Audi R26

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GioKer32 wrote:
20 Feb 2026, 13:13
JRodrigues wrote:
20 Feb 2026, 12:31
Some more flowviz by Tobi Grüner:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HBmBaBhXgAAzn0d.jpg
May anyone help in understanding what the flow viz pattern allows to see? Take this image, upper flap: some outwash is visible due to the tip vortices plus the flow stays attached where the colour is uniform. But there is a clearer line (with less paint) on that same flap which to me is less obvious. Is that transition? Separation and reattachment?
The new rules mandate the rear wing pylons to be attached to the underside of the rear wing, which leads to separations on the flap where the flow quality has deteriorated upstream. Here's a relatively ancient article explaining the effect:

https://www.mulsannescorner.com/rearwingLMPCFD2009.html
"aerodynamics are for people who can't build engines" ~ the goat

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Mattchu
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Re: Audi R26

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JRodrigues wrote:
20 Feb 2026, 13:31
Is that some kind of air outlet right above rear light?
It`s the oil breather...

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AR3-GP
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Joined: 06 Jul 2021, 01:22

Re: Audi R26

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Image
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Brahmal
Brahmal
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Re: Audi R26

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GioKer32 wrote:
20 Feb 2026, 13:13
May anyone help in understanding what the flow viz pattern allows to see? Take this image, upper flap: some outwash is visible due to the tip vortices plus the flow stays attached where the colour is uniform. But there is a clearer line (with less paint) on that same flap which to me is less obvious. Is that transition? Separation and reattachment?
Transition probably. The solid-colored bit in the center of the edge is definitely separation induced by the DRS pod. That's why Red Bull traditionally run a small v-shaped notch in that area.

Macklaren
Macklaren
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Joined: 23 Feb 2014, 16:26

Re: Audi R26

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With all this talk of Audi having the biggest turbo that hurts their starts....are variable vane turbos banned in the regs?

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AR3-GP
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Re: Audi R26

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Macklaren wrote:
21 Feb 2026, 16:00
With all this talk of Audi having the biggest turbo that hurts their starts....are variable vane turbos banned in the regs?
banned, but Audi had a lot of experience with both fixed and VVG Turbos due to their Le Mans and DTM experience.
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the EDGE
the EDGE
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Joined: 13 Feb 2012, 18:31
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Re: Audi R26

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AR3-GP wrote:
21 Feb 2026, 16:52
Macklaren wrote:
21 Feb 2026, 16:00
With all this talk of Audi having the biggest turbo that hurts their starts....are variable vane turbos banned in the regs?
banned, but Audi had a lot of experience with both fixed and VVG Turbos due to their Le Mans and DTM experience.
Seems silly to ban existing technology that is aimed at helping with efficiency, in an engine focused on efficiency. If they were aware of start procedure issues, this could have been an answer

Brahmal
Brahmal
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Re: Audi R26

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AR3-GP wrote:
21 Feb 2026, 16:52
Macklaren wrote:
21 Feb 2026, 16:00
With all this talk of Audi having the biggest turbo that hurts their starts....are variable vane turbos banned in the regs?
banned, but Audi had a lot of experience with both fixed and VVG Turbos due to their Le Mans and DTM experience.
I assume so, but do the regs mandate single turbo only? The sequential twin-turbos in the FD RX-7 come to mind; small turbo for low rpms, big turbo for high rpms. Probably an outdated concept nowadays but fun to think about.

Brahmal
Brahmal
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Joined: 19 Oct 2024, 05:07

Re: Audi R26

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Looks like Audi modified their wing opening mechanism to be more like Alpine’s between the two Bahrain tests. Not sure if anyone noticed.

Image

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https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/audi ... /10799648/

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AR3-GP
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Re: Audi R26

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The flap shape completely changed as well. It's like a deltawing now.
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Brahmal
Brahmal
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Re: Audi R26

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Is this the first intellectual-property theft of the season?

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Apexseal157
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Joined: 12 Mar 2022, 17:36

Re: Audi R26

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Had a thought related to the R26 sidepod concept, is there a minimum size that the floor has to be? what I was thinking is you could make the "floor" extremely narrow (like bib width at the leading edge and slowly getting wider to fill the rear diffuser volume) and then overhang the sidepod to create a ground effect floor (this is similar in concept to a post vorticism made a little while back redarding sidepods with tunnels).

Obviously the pods can only be so wide due to reg boxes especially around the rear wheel where it tapers inwards but if you can get the sidepod tunnel roof close enough to the ground then that would be pretty interesting, maybe a sideways T-shaped pod inlet would allow for that while also providing some wake control?

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AR3-GP
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Re: Audi R26

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Apexseal157 wrote:
23 Feb 2026, 23:46
Had a thought related to the R26 sidepod concept, is there a minimum size that the floor has to be? what I was thinking is you could make the "floor" extremely narrow (like bib width at the leading edge and slowly getting wider to fill the rear diffuser volume) and then overhang the sidepod to create a ground effect floor (this is similar in concept to a post vorticism made a little while back redarding sidepods with tunnels).
No because the sidepod surfaces are not permitted to be visible from below the floor box.
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Apexseal157
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Re: Audi R26

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AR3-GP wrote:
24 Feb 2026, 00:34
Apexseal157 wrote:
23 Feb 2026, 23:46
Had a thought related to the R26 sidepod concept, is there a minimum size that the floor has to be? what I was thinking is you could make the "floor" extremely narrow (like bib width at the leading edge and slowly getting wider to fill the rear diffuser volume) and then overhang the sidepod to create a ground effect floor (this is similar in concept to a post vorticism made a little while back redarding sidepods with tunnels).
No because the sidepod surfaces are not permitted to be visible from below the floor box.
fair enough XD, glad i didn't bother drawing it but thanks for the response