as if F1 wasn't boring enough already
http://www.motorauthority.com/news/motorsp...eeze/#more-4322
i always hear about f1 technology trickling down to road cars, undoubtedly this will have some kind of effect on regular cars we drive (or yearn to drive)
Full Version: FIA bans F1 engine development
Oh come on, what the hell.
This is bullshit
QUOTE
The planned aerodynamic testing restrictions in full:
- Teams to use no more than one wind tunnel.
- Test fluid to be air at atmospheric pressure.
- Maximum test section wind speed 50m/sec.
- Maximum model scale 60 percent.
- No more than one model to be tested during a run.
- Maximum usage to be equivalent to 15 runs per eight-hour day on five days per week for team F1 purposes. Tunnel may be contracted out at other times.
- Aerodynamic testing may only take place in wind tunnels if at reduced scale or at FIA approved test tracks if full scale. Full size testing to be subject to the F1 testing agreement.
- Full scale specific aerodynamic testing is to be reduced to 5 days per year.
- Restrictions will be imposed to stop shift of resource from wind tunnel testing to CFD.
- The number of people involved in CFD development will be limited to a number to be agreed.
- CFD computer systems will be characterised in order to set hardware performance limits but growth will be allowed year-on-year to allow for hardware / software development.
- Teams to use no more than one wind tunnel.
- Test fluid to be air at atmospheric pressure.
- Maximum test section wind speed 50m/sec.
- Maximum model scale 60 percent.
- No more than one model to be tested during a run.
- Maximum usage to be equivalent to 15 runs per eight-hour day on five days per week for team F1 purposes. Tunnel may be contracted out at other times.
- Aerodynamic testing may only take place in wind tunnels if at reduced scale or at FIA approved test tracks if full scale. Full size testing to be subject to the F1 testing agreement.
- Full scale specific aerodynamic testing is to be reduced to 5 days per year.
- Restrictions will be imposed to stop shift of resource from wind tunnel testing to CFD.
- The number of people involved in CFD development will be limited to a number to be agreed.
- CFD computer systems will be characterised in order to set hardware performance limits but growth will be allowed year-on-year to allow for hardware / software development.
Source
Christ, that would make F1 extremely boring. What a f*cking decision.
Restricting aerodynamic testing as well is even worse!
I know Honda will be particularly annoyed if this goes through given the money they spent on their new full scale wind tunnel.
I know Honda will be particularly annoyed if this goes through given the money they spent on their new full scale wind tunnel.
What they should do is limit the cars to like 3 down force creating surfaces, two wings and something else. The winglets are what keeps the cars from driving close to one another. Then limit the cars' engines by setting a horsepower limit. 850 sounds good. Then leave it up to the manufacturer to chose how he wants that power, turbo 4s v16s, whatever. No traction control, no ABS.
Just take off the fenders...
The drivers seem to be headed there anyways 
I liked the part about how the maximum wind speed it 50m/sec. If my math is right, and there is a damn good possibility that it isn't, that's a maximum speed of 180km/h (112mph). My Subaru can approach that speed!
I find a lot of these attempts by the FIA to limit costs to be kinda dangerous. For example, the rule from last year about only being able to select two kinds of tires for a race (dry, intermittent and wet). If my memory isn't completely corrupt, I seem to remember a race where the teams assumed they would need dry and inters, but there was an unexpected deluge and everyone had to manage without full wet tires.
I would consider this aerodynamic testing embargo to be along the same lines. I know next to nothing about car aerodynamics, but I would assume that a car behaves differently at 320km/h than it would at 180km/h. IMHO these teams will be sending drivers into tests with what are essentially untested cars.
Also, assuming there is a significant cost savings to be had by using CFD, why are teams still doing everything in a wind tunnel? I would have to assume that it's because CFD data isn't as reliable.
[rant]
I don't profess to be smarter than the FIA, but I think that it makes some pretty dumb decisions. F1 is all about spending massive amounts of cash...and if you get in to F1 thinking otherwise you deserve your impending bankruptcy. If you don't like the idea of spending hundreds of millions of dollars developing your cars, stay home, or join a cookie cutter series!
[/rant]
I find a lot of these attempts by the FIA to limit costs to be kinda dangerous. For example, the rule from last year about only being able to select two kinds of tires for a race (dry, intermittent and wet). If my memory isn't completely corrupt, I seem to remember a race where the teams assumed they would need dry and inters, but there was an unexpected deluge and everyone had to manage without full wet tires.
I would consider this aerodynamic testing embargo to be along the same lines. I know next to nothing about car aerodynamics, but I would assume that a car behaves differently at 320km/h than it would at 180km/h. IMHO these teams will be sending drivers into tests with what are essentially untested cars.
Also, assuming there is a significant cost savings to be had by using CFD, why are teams still doing everything in a wind tunnel? I would have to assume that it's because CFD data isn't as reliable.
[rant]
I don't profess to be smarter than the FIA, but I think that it makes some pretty dumb decisions. F1 is all about spending massive amounts of cash...and if you get in to F1 thinking otherwise you deserve your impending bankruptcy. If you don't like the idea of spending hundreds of millions of dollars developing your cars, stay home, or join a cookie cutter series!
[/rant]
QUOTE(Bjorn @ Dec 14 2007, 02:48 PM) 
[rant]
I don't profess to be smarter than the FIA, but I think that it makes some pretty dumb decisions.
[/rant]
I don't profess to be smarter than the FIA, but I think that it makes some pretty dumb decisions.
[/rant]
You are smarter.
This is a "lo-fi" version of our main content. To view the full version with more information, formatting and images, please click here.