14 replies to this topic

[Lights]

Not that it's new or anything, but as we all have a greater eye for detail in the winter, I recently started noticing the floors of F1 cars again. With engine and gearbox packaging getting gradually tighter, even with bigger engines, and sidepods becoming gradually smaller as well, a huge part of the floor is visible.Especially since the post-2008 winglets ban. This part is only there because of regulations and being a part of the floor aerodynamics. But I'm wondering, wouldn't they look better without?

Edited by Lights, 28 January 2014 - 17:34.

[Ali_G]

Most certainly would look better in my mind. I'd imagine that the cars would be slower due to it being harder to maintain an area of low pressure under the car ? Likely that the teams would still have that the teams would maintain that section of flat floor.

[steferrari]

Quick photoshop, not the best quality, but at least you have an idea.

 

Edited by steferrari, 28 January 2014 - 17:31.

[jimjimjeroo]

god no

[aray]

so much for looking good....

[Lights]

They'd certainly become a lot curvier without that part. Seb could use that in his car name. But yeah now I'm having doubts about whether it would actually look better. 

 

Also made me realize however that it can create an extra dangerous situation where a front wheel of another car gets 'locked' into that gap, I don't think the FIA would like that.

 

And Ali_G, yes I'd agree, I assume it helps the rear stability.

[study]

don't you think the ruling would be that bare floor would not be visible when viewed from the top. So what would happen is maybe very wide, very undercut but thin sidepod wings?

[JonathanProc]

I don't think there actually is a requirement to have the floor section where Red Bull has it, however it would be detrimental to performance to remove it. A section of the floor can be removed as long as there is no external bodywork directly above that section. The regulations may have changed since I read that however and I hope someone can point out the current regulation to me if that is the case!

 

Enter the infamous MP4-24:

 

 

You can see a gap in the floor just in front of the rear wheels which somewhat follows the shape of the bodywork directly above it.

[PayasYouRace]

I don't think there actually is a requirement to have the floor section where Red Bull has it, however it would be detrimental to performance to remove it. A section of the floor can be removed as long as there is no external bodywork directly above that section. The regulations may have changed since I read that however and I hope someone can point out the current regulation to me if that is the case!

 

Enter the infamous MP4-24:

 

 

 

You can see a gap in the floor just in front of the rear wheels which somewhat follows the shape of the bodywork directly above it.

 

As far as I'm aware that's still the case. But it's beneficial to have the largest area of floor for downforce.

[Risil]

Jesus mother of god that floorless Red Bull photoshop looks weird

[Ali_G]

As far as I'm aware that's still the case. But it's beneficial to have the largest area of floor for downforce.

1. It helps to reduce the loss of low pressure under the car.
2. Provides clean airflow to the diffuser
3. Would cause all sort of turbulence if removed

I'm sure there's more problems which would be caused.

[Otaku]

Looking at that 1st picture it's clear that I want a wider rear track and bigger/wider tyres.

[Lights]

I don't think there actually is a requirement to have the floor section where Red Bull has it, however it would be detrimental to performance to remove it. A section of the floor can be removed as long as there is no external bodywork directly above that section. The regulations may have changed since I read that however and I hope someone can point out the current regulation to me if that is the case!

 

Enter the infamous MP4-24:

 

You can see a gap in the floor just in front of the rear wheels which somewhat follows the shape of the bodywork directly above it.

Thanks, great example with the MP4-24. I honestly forgot about that one, but clearly it means parts of the floor can actually be omitted but the teams opt not to because the rectangle floor is very beneficial. Which does make sense. 

 

Still, despite that the floor-less photoshop might look very weird, I still find it an odd component on an F1 car that somehow doesn't seem completely necessary, and from certain angles it makes recent cars look a tad strange.

[Crossmax]

Isn't the floor vital for feeding air to the diffuser?

[Tenmantaylor]

Yes feeding of the diffuser is a primary reason to keep it.

The sidepods are bigger this year and it looks like the wheelbases have got longer too exposing more floor.