324 replies to this topic

[Wuzak]

What is really going on with F1’s 2026 active aero plans

Edited by Wuzak, 17 April 2024 - 09:04.

[MRX94]

What is really going on with F1’s 2026 active aero plans

So looks like DRS is gone, and the override mode will become the overtaking assist, as has been speculated before.
That's a positive move, even if they keep the same 1 sec behind rule for activation. I think drivers will try to use the boost for as little as possible to complete the pass, as to not discharge the battery too much, so hopefully it won't be as overpowered as DRS often is.

[Mat13]

Sounds like ‘active aero zones’ will be as bullshit as 1 second DRS activation already is- spoiling a good concept with a gimmick.

Edited by Mat13, 17 April 2024 - 14:18.

[Goron3]

Sounds like ‘active aero zones’ will be as bullshit as 1 second DRS activation already is- spoiling a good concept with a gimmick.

They won't want it to get triggered in the corners, so it makes sense that it will only work on the straights.

[MRX94]

Sounds like ‘active aero zones’ will be as bullshit as 1 second DRS activation already is- spoiling a good concept with a gimmick.

I would imagine active aero zone is merely a designated part of the lap where it is safe for the car to go into "low downforce" mode. They don't want teams experimenting with this and getting it wrong. It should be available for all cars regardless of whether they are chasing or not, the difference between normal and low df modes is going to be a lot bigger than DRS.

[ARTGP]

I like this approach for active aero if we have to have it. The active aero isn't an overtaking gimmick. It's purely to make the cars more efficient. Pushing cars down the straights with wings in high downforce settings waste a lot of energy for no good reason. 

Edited by ARTGP, 17 April 2024 - 17:23.

[Mat13]

I would imagine active aero zone is merely a designated part of the lap where it is safe for the car to go into "low downforce" mode. They don't want teams experimenting with this and getting it wrong. It should be available for all cars regardless of whether they are chasing or not, the difference between normal and low df modes is going to be a lot bigger than DRS.

I think the teams should absolutely be experimenting with it, the drivers should be able to use it for as long as they’re brave/skilful enough. To have a designated zone is as bad as DRS.

[Wuzak]

To have a designated zone is as bad as DRS.

 

Why?

 

It would be available to all the drivers all the time.

[Sash1]

Why?

 

It would be available to all the drivers all the time.

 

The driver can make a difference based on skill and feeling. I see absolutely no gain in auto active aero in pre designated zones same for everyone. It would be utter expensive bullshit.

[PayasYouRace]

I say allow it anywhere on the circuit. Let drivers decide where to use it.

[Wuzak]

I saw allow it anywhere on the circuit. Let drivers decide where to use it.

 

Or not have it at all and let the teams decide on the compromise between straight line and cornering speed.

[pdac]

Or have all cars identical and let the drivers decide on how and when to use all of the features that it has.

[Secretariat]

In principle they should free up the aero more generally including moveable aero. Again, what is the point of budget caps if innovation is being prescribed. However, given some of the statements of Tombazis it would seem they want DRS type effects. One position in support of DRS style implementation, is the potential downside to free choice of activation is that teams (not the drivers) will optimize where and when to use it, and very quickly teams will be activating it in the same places and at the same times; essentially negating their introduction. 

[Ben1445]

Or not have it at all and let the teams decide on the compromise between straight line and cornering speed.

Does such a compromise necessarily cease to exist with the proposed system? Does it cease to exist with DRS today? 

 

Whilst the wings are set in one of two positions - low drag for straights and high downforce for corners - and the car switches between the two states...  presumably exactly what those states look like is still a choice for teams. One car running an overall high-downforce set up might have their 'open' condition being similar to the 'closed' condition of another car running an overall low-downforce set up. 

[Wuzak]

Does such a compromise necessarily cease to exist with the proposed system? Does it cease to exist with DRS today?  

 

Maybe not cease, but there is less of a compromise.

 

 

Whilst the wings are set in one of two positions - low drag for straights and high downforce for corners - and the car switches between the two states...  presumably exactly what those states look like is still a choice for teams. One car running an overall high-downforce set up might have their 'open' condition being similar to the 'closed' condition of another car running an overall low-downforce set up. 

 

 

Certainly the choice between high downforce/high drag and low donforce/low drag is more extreme when you don't have the option of switching the car into low drag mode at some points of the circuit.

[Ben1445]

Maybe not cease, but there is less of a compromise.

 

Certainly the choice between high downforce/high drag and low donforce/low drag is more extreme when you don't have the option of switching the car into low drag mode at some points of the circuit.

Fully agreed.

 

But if you wanted to preserve some of this compromise as part of the sporting interest, you can absolutely write regulations as such that the delta between 'open' and 'closed' conditions cannot be too large.

 

Given that some reports cite ~3x more of a drag-reducing effect than today's DRS is required to make the powertrain concept work, I was largely assuming that this would effectively be the limit of what teams would be allowed to do with the active aero. Any aero set-up optimisation beyond that effect remains the same trade off as it always has been. 

 

I definitely wouldn't expect them to allow a free for all to allow teams to optimise both low-drag and high-drag conditions exactly to their liking. 

[kumo7]

The movable aero must be operated by the driver in the car! But like new PU will allow drivers to control the power delivery to the tire rather than the revs of ICU or Motor, i could suspect that the movable aero will be controlled by computer to which the driver has control on the degree of deployments. Kinda like TC of aero I am imagining here…

I do not like it to happen tho. But if not the drivers will have ladders and flaps to control while they are racing, next to engine map and brake balance, drs and do forth.

[Mat13]

Why?

It would be available to all the drivers all the time.

Because it’s arbitrary nonsense. If they have active aero, let using that feature become a skill that introduces some variance- having a set ‘on’ or ‘off’ zone deletes any skill required in its use.

[pdac]

Because it’s arbitrary nonsense. If they have active aero, let using that feature become a skill that introduces some variance- having a set ‘on’ or ‘off’ zone deletes any skill required in its use.

 

Indeed. They do not have designated zones, outside of which full throttle is disabled do they.

[ARTGP]

Because it’s arbitrary nonsense. If they have active aero, let using that feature become a skill that introduces some variance- having a set ‘on’ or ‘off’ zone deletes any skill required in its use.

 

What would be the skill? The teams would just run their simulations and tell the driver where to use it before FP1.

Edited by ARTGP, 19 April 2024 - 00:02.

[Sauberfan]

The 2026 power units will be 31 kg heavier than the current ones. So the chassis has to be lightened by 31 kg just to stay equal to the weight of the cars today. 

[Wuzak]

The 2026 power units will be 31 kg heavier than the current ones. So the chassis has to be lightened by 31 kg just to stay equal to the weight of the cars today. 

 

No, they are about the same.

 

Explanation in the 2026 PU thread.

[kumo7]

The 2026 power units will be 31 kg heavier than the current ones. So the chassis has to be lightened by 31 kg just to stay equal to the weight of the cars today. 

 

where did you get this number, 31 kg?

[Sauberfan]

where did you get this number, 31 kg?

 

The Race video screenshot 

 

[Clatter]

Because it’s arbitrary nonsense. If they have active aero, let using that feature become a skill that introduces some variance- having a set ‘on’ or ‘off’ zone deletes any skill required in its use.

It also goes against the driving unaided rule.