New Red Bull engine cover

[Keir]

http://images.gpupdate.net/newsnew/91618.jpg

Somewhat bizzarre.

[Spencifer_Murphy]

Keir, the link doesn't work, just says forbidden. But I'm guessing this is what you've found:



Somewhat bizzare is an understatement! It's ugly and plain wierd lol. It kinda reminds me of that 1995 Mclaren. I'm worried most about cross winds with that thing though - it makes the car look like a giant weather vane! Lets hope it doesn't start behaving like one in strong winds!

[Principessa]

You beat me to it. I was just writing newsarticle about it

[Spencifer_Murphy]

Hehe - sorry, but I only saw it from Keir's post above. It's his fault! lol

Seriously though, it's a properly bizzare design, which frankly I can't see any logic behind, what exactly is it intended to do? Besides uglyfy the car and make it fly off the track in a cross wind.

That said, this could be why they're testing it here at Catalunya, see how it copes with crosswinds, Catalunya get's it's fair share of them from what I remember.

EDIT: Sorry Keir, now I've logged on again you're picture is showing up - hope I didn't step on any toes!

[timbo]

I believe it is supposed to stabilize the car in fast corners by shifting car's center of pressure to the back. Probably they suffered from oversteer in fast corners?

[Principessa]

http://www.f1technical.net/news/8163

[Keir]

Odd, the link works for me.
Must be because I have an autosport subscription.

That is the one, I guess it is intended to more closely control the airflow to the rear wing particuarly in transient conditions (i.e. cornering). They've effectively partitioned the airflow to the rear wing.

[Sawtooth-spike]

More space for sponsors!

Its really ugly! it looks like one of those old Irons with a handle.



It for Wet races... they took a leaf out of Jamies mays book!

[scarbs]

Kinda reminds me of the wind vane chimneys on the Bedzed housing project in London

[Benniau]

I think you'll find they are using the classic "Batman Forever" style of Bat-Wing.
You see, the air crosses over the Bat-Windscreen and is split by the giant Bat-Wing... I'm not sure what impact this has on Bat-rodynamics as it sure doesn't help keep the Bat-Wheels from making contact with the road. I'm sure there are some pretty impressive Bat-dampers and a Zero-Bat suspension setup under the Bat-Monocoque too.



Holy Aerodynamics Batman!!

[rkn]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/64945
An analysis of the development by autosport.

[GTO]

Looks like they're taking a toilet bowl somewhere really fast.

http://www.irawoods.com/s.nl/it.A/id.105282/.f

[ginsu]

Kinda reminds me of the wind vane chimneys on the Bedzed housing project in London

This is exactly what a big rear tail is supposed to do. Under any crossflow conditions it creates drag on the rear and points the assembly into the wind, reducing the drag. It ends up stabilizing the rotating assembly because any crossflow always rotates it into the wind, aligning with the prevailing flow.

What's interesting is the cut out in the Red Bull 'rudder'. Which I think is to prevent one side of the rear wing from being starved of airflow because it would be in the wake of the rudder under extreme crossflow conditions.

[Giblet]

Hey Ginsu, is it just me or does that engine cover look like it could cut a tin can in half and still slice a red, ripe, tomato?

[teecof1fan]

Yes it's a bit ugly. But it's also lateral thinking, and that's what F1 is all about, no? In other words, where else would you see this except F1?