Understanding aerodynamics on racing cars

[admin]

It is true that the event of motor sports involves an unbelievably high amount of money. It is also true that this immensity of money in the racing circuits can never be ignored.
There is, however, another very important aspect attached to the racing cars. It is more like a pure passion for those people who are ardent lovers of the sport. From the very word go, this sport is entirely different from all other sporting events. Just think about the person who is sitting inside the car, his hands on eth steering, and the vehicle running at a speed of 250-300 kilometers per hour.

It seems to be one of the richest game but there is also a great deal of risk involved with this game that involves lightening fast pace. Miscalculation of even a fraction of second is enough to prove fatal.
The driver is always in danger as long as he drives. Therefore, safety along with smooth driving is ultimate criteria for car racing. While talking about car racing the most important factor in the performance of a racing car happens to be aerodynamics. The matter was pointed for car racing in the 60s, when inverted wings were introduced to formula cars.

Gradually the aerodynamic strategy became stronger, and often the flight industry helped with good ideas and solutions to upgrade the technology. As the aerodynamics improved, engineers came to know about the fact that drivers are having more control on the car ever before.
It helped to cover the laps in short time, and drivers are able to keep control both at high and low speeds. It became possible because of the down force that helped to gather more control on the car. Basically, the underbody of the vehicle was used to smooth the progress of airflow, and allows the car to stick to the track.

It has been coming through the introduction of aerodynamics, that the engineers believe the most important reason behind the performance is the distribution of down force. Due to the improvement in aerodynamics, it has been found that many racing cars meet the cornering speeds of 4G.
This is not only related to the racing cars, the same feature is also applicable for the vehicles that we drive on the streets.
Almost all of us have seen a formula-racing car, and the shape, the airflow created by car parts, effects of rear and front spoiler plays a major role to maintain the aerodynamic level of the car.

If you want to improve the down force of your car you can try it by lowering the car’s suspension, or you can also install a well functional rear wing. Today, it has become a routine to run the cars through an aero dynamical test. Each type of car provides different type of airflow and for that wind tunnel is used on car prototypes to check the difference.
There are also other ways used in finding most excellent airflow solutions such as, aerodynamic design and computational aerodynamics.
It was the time when Chevrolet-Chaparral introduced some groundbreaking airflow essentials in their Can-Am cars, the idea of body reformation took place. A wing was involved in the rear axel of the car to two struts.

In case of pit stops, it was easy to adjust the wing to tune the car for greatest effectiveness. Within a short time, the idea gathered huge appreciation, and was followed by other aero dynamical improvements. Along with time, everything has changed and improved, and for the cars like Ferrari F50 to a Smart, aerodynamics happens to be the major feature in creating these cars.

(note. Total or partial reproduction in any form of this articles is only allowed with written consensus of CRP Technology)

We can discuss it here

[NeiNastran]

I was having a conversation about drag the other day on a road trip. Please let me know if I have the right idea here:

From what I recall the main or only driver in reducing drag is the frontal geometry of the vehicle. That means, if you were looking at the vehicle head on and were able to determine the projected surface area from that head on view - that's the area that determines your drag coefficient. To reduce drag you simply try to reduce that frontal-projected surface area.

[Scarbs]

There is more to reducing aero drag than frontal area.

Drag is created both by frontal area and the vehicles shape (i.e streamlining), this is known as parasitic drag. For race cars or cars with aerofoils (wings, vanes etc) the car also produces ‘induced drag’.

Obviously in the case of a modern race car it would be hard to further reduce the frontal area. But induced drag is a focus for aerodynamicists, Formula1 cars for example produce huge vortices from their wings and bargeboards, these produce large amounts of drag and is one reason we see such complex wing endplates and different aerofoil profiles near to the wing tip.

[Lightning McQueen]

Originally Posted by Scarbs

Formula1 cars for example produce huge vortices from their wings and bargeboards

That's what Scarbs means,
in an old B.A.R. wallpaper representing a CFD simulation . . .

[Jeff]

Well, not only, main concern for actual F1 is to get understanding from the flow all around the car as every single element is affecting his direction.
For exemple, flow coming off the top of the sidepods or engine cover has been highly investigated this year, and is permanently under high development.
Through CFD, you can understand flow direction created by the rest of the car and you can attach element to rearrange that flow.
This is obviously leading to customized rear wing with the purpose to cut down the vortex and reducing drag, through all kind of solution to play with pressure differentials : endplate attached to to the top rear flap, louvers ...