2026 Aerodynamic & Chassis Regulations

[vorticism]

Perhaps. Could also raise the diff while displacing it rearward, if diffuser volume is a concern.

The AMR26 notably does not have a tail/transmission housing that bulges upward to meet the rear upper suspension arms. They use the RW pylons instead. I suspect they might show up with something in this area as they have more open space there than other teams do, including Ferrari.

[Stu]

A few Super Tail concepts for the tail & tailpipe area. Ferrari hinted at what can be done here with the SF26 at testing, but there is so, so much more that can be done (on paper). If the differential is placed 60mm rearward then the tail volume can completely eclipse the lowest tailpipe position. The lesser that figure is than 60mm, the less coverage the tailpipe will have. Teams with their differentials at zero (with respect to the rear wheel centers) or further inward toward the engine will still have options since the minimum possible in all cases is a 30mm overlap. The forms which can be place in the area can also be paired with a high tailpipe position.

from a capped-off radial outflow cover, to ramps and capes beneath tall tailpipes, to exhaust flow reversing ducts formed by the union of the tailpipe and tail body, and perhaps most enticing of all, the potential for a blown rear wing. If any of these shapes look funny, remember that I have to conform to cross section limits. Before asking: please consider the relevant coordinates and details like legality slits.

Downsides to ducting would be the weight of insulation, metals, and leakage through legality and assembly gaps.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HCgtY-uWgAA ... =4096x4096
alt: https://i.postimg.cc/wB7Zv5D8/Super-Tai ... ticism.jpg

Nice work!
I particularly like the blown pylons (Dyson AirBlade!!), but the blown rear wing is genius!!

[Farnborough]

Wouldn't the trade off of moving the differential rearward be the loss of diffuser volume? The only thing stopping the diffuser being larger is the gearbox itself. They will have to make sure the net effect is still positive.

The differential is quite narrow though, but does dictate the overall width of total installation, at that point. The ouput and drive shafts lay above the top surface of the diffuser though. All this era has moved the wishbones etc up to wheel centre and above to make sure they don't run through the allowed diffuser space.

The gearbox (1st and second shaft) are the components located lower down and near the lowest point of diffuser.

[AR3-GP]

Wouldn't the trade off of moving the differential rearward be the loss of diffuser volume? The only thing stopping the diffuser being larger is the gearbox itself. They will have to make sure the net effect is still positive.

The differential is quite narrow though, but does dictate the overall width of total installation, at that point. The ouput and drive shafts lay above the top surface of the diffuser though. All this era has moved the wishbones etc up to wheel centre and above to make sure they don't run through the allowed diffuser space.

The gearbox (1st and second shaft) are the components located lower down and near the lowest point of diffuser.

To me it looks like there has to be some compromise. The differential axis (toothed bit) is shown here for a 2026 car.

[Farnborough]

There's always compromise, of course.

Depends what the size of benefit that it'll be traded for in net performance though.

The "blown" effect may turn out to be insignificant in reality, we've yet to see. But if Ferrari hold an overall performance advantage, we can bet that others will be taking more extensive path in evaluation.

[venkyhere]

I have a theory on why teams are still running large amounts of anti-dive even though it's no longer venturi tunnels. The active aero is causing the cars to slam into the ground when it closes at the end of the straight. This is also when the braking occurs. So you have brake dive AND active aero sending the plank into the ground and compromising stability right when the driver hits the brakes and the active aero closes. Teams are therefore mitigating the level of bottoming by tuning out some of the brake dive with anti-dive geometry.

How about an alternate perspective - when the front end aero-bite is going to be lower w.r.t previous regs, more anti-dive geometry is going to reduce steering feel even further, which can affect driver confidence. Hence some teams (Mercedes/Redbull) have gone the opposite way, and have 'vanilla' suspension geometries, like the pre-2022 era, most probably with 'softer' heave spring rate

[mzso]

A few Super Tail concepts for the tail & tailpipe area. Ferrari hinted at what can be done here with the SF26 at testing, but there is so, so much more that can be done (on paper). If the differential is placed 60mm rearward then the tail volume can completely eclipse the lowest tailpipe position. The lesser that figure is than 60mm, the less coverage the tailpipe will have. Teams with their differentials at zero (with respect to the rear wheel centers) or further inward toward the engine will still have options since the minimum possible in all cases is a 30mm overlap. The forms which can be place in the area can also be paired with a high tailpipe position.

Since the Ferrari has differential that much further back than everyone else, could it be it's because of this it has a so much more pronounced gear noise than all other cars? (As far as I heard)

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/HCgtY-uWgAA ... =4096x4096

Would the exhaust have much energy after turning around like that? Wouldn't it compromise engine power?