Sunday, July 03, 2005
FRANCE GP 2005 TECHNICAL ANALYSIS
FIA FORMULA ONE 2005 CHAMPIONSHIP - GRAND PRIX DE FRANCE
BAR front wing
McLaren rear section
Revised McLaren front wing
BAR front wing
More incremental changes to the BAR front wing - but significant ones. We can now see how the outside extremities of the main chord are raised even further, while the endplates boast a new, more pointy, exit edge. All these changes improve downforce and reduce pitch sensitivity, while the new endplates will cut drag.
McLaren rear section
Not completely new, but it's fascinating to see how the rear end of the MP 4/20 is revised between races. The vertical fin placed inside the hollow section in front of the rear wheels now sports a more curved, sinuous shape. This improves the efficiency of this area by increasing the speed of the air passing it, therefore improving the extraction of air from the diffuser.
Revised McLaren front wing
In Formula One it is often the small changes that make the big improvements. McLaren's front wing has evolved slightly but significantly in Magny-Cours. Two races ago we pointed out different endplates featuring a short horizontal fin placed at the front. With the experience of racing and testing the team has now moved mounting point of these fins slightly further backwards. This small revision, in additon to changed suspension settings, provides the car with improved stability and handling.
Renault R25 additional rear wing
In Magny-Cours most changes are aerodynamic, as the track is so flat that teams are able to run very low ride heights and thus maximise aero efficiency. The French Grand Prix is therefore an excellent place to show off aero kit evolution. Renault showed an interesting new development int he shape of a small rear wing placed on top of the rear crush structure of the R25, a clear development of the similar mini-wing introduced in Monaco. This one differs in height, and also its vertical side pillars have clearly been inspired by the similar Ferrari wing at the European Grand Prix.
Ferrari 2005 sidepod fins
In addition to the sidepod fins the F2005 is also boasting further additional aerodynamic elements on the sidepods. These feature are inclined downwards and have a rounded shape and have the same function to similar devices introduced in previous races by Toyota in BAR. They provide a small additional amount of downforce very close to the centre of the car, improving its aerodynamic stability. These elements are likely to be developed further as the season progresses.
Ferrari F2005 nose additional fins
The F2005 has undergone considerable development recently, and in France the car sports a large number of changes. Mainly they are aerodynamic, focussed on delivering a better balance to the car. These additional inclined fins on the side of the nose cone are at the level of the upper suspension wishbone. They work together with the wishbone's wing-shaped profile to effectively increase its surface. The fins therefore produce an increase in downforce on the front axle and also manage airflow to the better of the car more efficiently.
Comments:
Post a Comment
