some questions

[nu-boi]

hello everybody
i'm a long-time visitor of this good site
this is my 1st post~~~

i would like to know :
1. what is the max./min. distance to slipstream the car in da front?
2. would the turbulence behind a f1 car affect the car benhind?
3. i've heard that f1 cars have power steer. is that true??the same with those road cars'?

hope these questions are not too stupid for u guys~~~~
i'm just a novice
thx y'all

[tetamu]

the turbulence does effect the car behind.Front wing will generate less downforce than it normally do.
and F1 does have the power steering.But it uses the mechanical power steering coz the electronic power steering has been banned

[nu-boi]

thx tetamu!!
where can i find more about the power steering stuff?
i think the 1st question is not very clear......
i wanna ask is that
is there any limitation in terms of distance in order to slipstream the car in the front?

[Steven]

well I think (a can't prove it however, am not an engineer) there is no such thing as a minimal distance to have a slipstream effect. The closer you get, the more you will be sucked towards to preceding car.
It is the same with driving on the highway behind a truck, and then coming from behind to pass him. If you would keep your throttle, you'd certainly lose speed because you should not underestimate the slipstream after a truck.
A maximum distance.. well that all depends on the speed of the cars, but a general figure that is spoken about is 20m, I think that is quite realistic, although the suction will not be very much at that distance. Note that to feel that effect at 20m, the cars need to reach around 300 km/h.

[Monstrobolaxa]

Like you said it depends on the speed you're travelling.....but 20 m behind the car that's in front of you you 'll getting some turbulent air!

Like a physics teacher I know says "Nature haits vacuum" that's basicly what happens in the slip stream...there's no air (vacuum)......so the air tends to close up the hole that the car in front opens......so at about 10/15m you'll get some turbulence.....

I'll try to find the "slip stream formula"in the book I'm reading (Racecar Aerodynamics" and I'll get back to you on this!