Sauber C31 Ferrari

[Hail22]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqnS4DxV ... re=related[/youtube]

[horse]

I think this hole right behind the top edge of the step allows air from some other source to fill in that low pressure area.

Why not from the cockpit?

[Cuky]

seems like sauber copied ferrrari lol

That Ferrari solution has been effectively outlawed, besides it was really only valid when the center was the MOST aggressive part of the front wing, now the center is the LEAST aggressive part of the wing.

That Ferrari slot was to remove blockage behind the aggressive "spoon" of the 2008 front wing, thereby allowing better wing performance

True. It was outlawed by banning an opening at the bottom of the nose. But Sauber has different thing here.
1. They don't use that to improve FW performance, but to reattach the airstream which bounces of the step.
2. They feed that slot through cooling hole at the tip of the nose.

[horse]

They feed that slot through cooling hole at the tip of the nose.

What hole? Someone show me this intake, please.

[Cuky]

sorry, my bad. After little more research I have found this text at formula1.com

In Jerez Sauber evaluated a chassis vent similar in style to the one Ferrari used on the F2008's nosecone back in 2008. At the time it was a significant innovation, allowing airflow from under the car to pass to the top of the chassis to improve the car's overall aero balance. But the solution was banned by the FIA from 2009 when holes in the nose's lower section were outlawed. Sauber's new take on the solution, however, is perfectly legal thanks to its location and smaller size. The benefit of running the vent is thus much diminished, but in theory it should help reattach the airflow as it passes over the large step in the C31's nose.

[PlatinumZealot]

I think this hole right behind the top edge of the step allows air from some other source to fill in that low pressure area.

Why not from the cockpit?

I didn't rule the cock pit out though. What I drew in the diagram above is just an example. It could be coming from the cock pit. Could even be a pipe coming from the airbox too.

[bhall]

It's not a vent at all. [...new nose...blah, blah, blah...]

From what I understand,they've lifted the chassis homologation. Now if you want a new chassis, you just have to repass the crash tests

Indeed. But, it's still expensive and time consuming. I just don't see another reason for this indentation.

It's been made abundantly clear throughout the forum that any drag resulting from a stepped nose is negligible. Plus, I don't know how ducting air from the cockpit, or anywhere else aft of the indentation, is going to provide enough air flow to have a significant effect. Even if it did, that seems like going through an awful lot of hassle to fix a negligible problem.

But, I've been wrong before.

[mith]

Video

Looked oversteery, especially in the first corner.

[dren]

Video

Looked oversteery, especially in the first corner.

Agree. I wonder how much is down to the car and how much is down to the driver.

[Blackout]

Look at these wings placed above the sidepods... interesting

[Byronrhys]

Probably for flow conditioning to the rear and cool looking too, reminds me of pre-2009.

[Crucial_Xtreme]

Better shot of the wings. Right click>view image

[pascaljackson]

how can this be legal?

[ajdavison2]

If it is legal, I expect it to be promptly copied/evaluated by the other teams.

[jordangp]

how can this be legal?

There is a free section of aero at the front of the floor section. It is what allows the sidepod fin flow conditioners to be in place. Last year Sauber put mini-cooling chimneys here like the large ones we saw pre-2009 (Introduced in Melbourne). This area allowed Mclaren's little wingletss they used on the inside of their U-pods also last season.. Sauber have taken it further this year with a full length winglet.

EDIT: I forgot about the cutouts in the top of the sidepods like McLaren in 2010 and Ferrari in 2011.