Post here all non technical related topics about Formula One. This includes race results, discussions, testing analysis etc. TV coverage and other personal questions should be in Off topic chat.
It's not a matter of drag though. All indications are pointing towards the RB8 alternator being placed in a location where air cooling it is impossible. That location could be inside the engine oilpan itself, inside the gearbox, under the exhaust piping among other tightly cramped places to improve the packaging. Cooling a metal object is so fundamentally simple that this is the only logical conclusion in my mind.
Red Bull have special openings in the side pod to channel air specifically to the alternator (mentioned by Ted Kravitz IIRC) so that's not the issue. The issue has, for the most part, been attributed to the alternator not getting enough cooling when in slow corners and hairpins.
Hmmm, I don't recall Ted ever stating he's an F1 expert. He is however a reporter who 'reports' on what he finds in the pit lane. His reporting of the changes to the Red Bull in regards to cooling the alternator have been widely used on news sites and have never been public discounted.
As I'm understanding the article, the alternator suffered because of overcurrent. Either Renault went over the limit with the new alternators or the car is simply demanding more current than the ALT produces. There were some talkings about Red bull using separate tanks for cooling fluids and oil, so they can pump the fluids all over the car, just where they want the additional weight. Those pumps could draw too much current in low RPM.
It'll be interesting to see how RBR handle this. They could potentially artificially increase the cornering rpm I guess - in that they lengthen the lower gears or shorten the gears.
There is already an element of that in setup this year anyways as teams have tried to maximise their cornering rpms, for more exhaust benefit.
