Setting aside the Formula 1 summer break, the focus now shifts to the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps, a circuit on which there is no real winning recipe to go fast. As always, in these cases, the engineers will have to find the correct combination to produce the right aero-mechanical compromise. From this point of view it should be emphasized that some teams will find themselves in a starting situation that is undoubtedly better than others.
The battle at the top will see as protagonists the teams which up to now have shown a clear superiority: Scuderia Ferrari and Red Bull. Despite the fact that the two rivals have made different choices in terms of design philosophies, the results on the track have been similar. The difference in both world rankings has been determined so far by the solidity of the Austrian team, capable of maximizing the results each weekend.
On the contrary, the Prancing Horse, through repeated errors in strategy, an unclear policy relating to the first driver status, poor reliability and a few mistakes made by the drivers, has collected far fewer points compared to the possibilities and potential of the F1-75 car. In this regard, although the behavioral model of work on the track does not seem to undergo significant changes, the historic Italian team needs to show a prompt redemption to try to rectify a situation that has already been partially compromised.
2022 Belgian GP: aerodynamic set up
The Spa-Francorchamps circuit is the longest on the calendar and is made up of distinct sections. The first and last sectors are the fastest, while the central sector is a sequence of fast corners where downforce is a fundamental element. The key word from an aerodynamic point of view is efficiency. In fact, a great capacity is required to produce the right downforce by not suffering too much in terms of drag. This is to increase the effectiveness of the car in the various portions of the track that make up the splendid circuit located in the woods of the Ardennes.
In general, no team manages to be super competitive over the entire track. For this reason, a very specific choice must be made: focus more on the load produced or on the top speed. At Red Bull they know they have a car with a low drag coefficient, which has made the difference on several occasions this season. Consequently, the RB18 cars should be considered as favourites at Spa-Francorchamps, as the technicians will have more options on the setup.
They could adopt a lower downforce configuration on the wings while still maintaining a good level of downforce generated by the car body, very useful in the mixed section. This is a path that Red Bull has chosen several times at the beginning of the championship. However, during the last few Grands Prix, the engineers dressed in blue decided to increase the aerodynamic incidence of the ailerons and, with the same drag, have an excellent top speed.
As for Ferrari, the Italian team arrives in Belgium with a very versatile car, capable of adapting to various types of tracks. Aerodynamic efficiency, which was a weakness at the start of the 2022 Formula 1 season, has been gradually increased. At the same time, the gap from the Austrian car was also reduced. The F1-75 could therefore express itself at very high levels on the Spa track.
The most plausible option involves a slightly lower downforce setup. The goal is to partially sacrifice performance in the mixed section by clinging to the F1-75’s “chassis skills”, to then enjoy an advantage in the various straights of the Belgian circuit.
From a purely mechanical point of view, the Spa circuit requires a stiffer set-up on average. This is because in the straight sections an attempt will be made to limit the ride high of the floor, while in the mixture of fast corners the aim is to have a more stable aerodynamic platform. The changes of direction are also very important, given the presence of more chicanes. Traction in itself will not be essential until the end of the lap, where there is a very slow chicane, Bus Stop, which leads onto the main straight.
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From the point of view of the suspension, the F1-75 is naturally stiffer, with a higher roll center. This aspect will certainly also help in tire management, a key factor aspect that is always crucial for performance. There will be many transverse stresses to which the tyre will be subjected. Obviously this is only one of the factors that determine the degradation of the compound.
On such a fast track, in fact, it will be necessary to find the right camber angle to apply to the wheels: a compromise between wear and grip in wide radius corners and reactivity in direction changes.
A softer choice on the suspension will help reduce porpoising, the tiresome phenomenon that could occur at the end of the multiple straights of Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, where the car is more “crushed” towards the ground by the aerodynamic load.
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