The floor of an F1 car plays a crucial role in its performance and aerodynamics. It is an essential component that contributes to generating downforce and optimizing airflow underneath the car. Ferrari, like other teams, has been focusing on developing a new floor design for the SF-23, their current car model. The significance of this third seasonal floor lies in its potential to enhance the overall performance and competitiveness of the SF-23. Through meticulous design and engineering, Ferrari aims to improve the car’s handling, stability, and cornering capabilities. The new floor design is expected to provide better control over airflow and generate more efficient aerodynamic effects.
Recent discussions among design teams have revolved around the images of the Red Bull RB19 floor, which were captured following Sergio Perez’s crash on the streets of Monte Carlo in Monaco. The purpose of studying these images is not to replicate them, but rather to gain insight into their functionality and adapt those designs to their own single-seaters.
“On these F1 cars, there is little that you can just copy. It’s more important to understand what another team is doing and make it work for your car, along with all the other parts it interacts with,” explained Dave Robson, head of vehicle performance at Williams.
The implementation of a floor in the wind tunnel has become more complex due to the 2023 regulations. While ground effect floors may appear simpler due to the straightforward Venturi effect, the reality is that the bottoms of current Formula 1 cars are highly intricate.
The technical instability brought about by the 2023 regulatory changes has made these raised floors, which initially seemed simpler, exceedingly complex when implemented in the tunnel. They form a self-contained ecosystem operating within a confined space, presenting significant differences compared to the previous generation of cars, where technicians focused on edges and micro aerodynamics of bargeboards.
Managing a greater number of macro and micro vortices on the current car bottoms is crucial for stabilizing the aerodynamic platform, which works in tandem with the car’s mechanics.
According to a rival team, Red Bull is already a year ahead of many teams in Milton Keynes, as they have successfully reintroduced a proven concept, significantly reducing the development time. However, the real advantage for competitors lies not in copying the Red Bull floor outright but in evolving their own knowledge and generating independent project benefits.
Show your support for Scuderia Ferrari with official merchandise collection! Click here to enter the F1 online Store and shop securely! And also get your F1 tickets for every race with VIP hospitality and unparalleled insider access. Click here for the best offers to support Charles and Carlos from the track!
“Under the bottom, there are some pieces whose geometry you can analyze. You can design, simulate and test something like this, to try to understand what they are trying to achieve and especially if you can then use it in your machine.” added Dave Robson of Williams.
The Monaco images will undoubtedly assist various teams, as acknowledged by Red Bull. They anticipate that the first specifications stemming from their 2023 developments will emerge on the track around the Suzuka F1 race, as some teams have already incorporated certain features from the 2022 specification.
Ferrari is already on its third floor design for 2023, but before progressing further, it is necessary to take a few steps back. The Red Bull floor has highlighted the complex three-dimensional nature of the tunnels, with significant variations in slope at the front and rear. These interconnected airflows are also influenced by the airflow above the seabed. The aerodynamic concept, which encompasses the geometry of the underbody, often receives minimal attention from various teams.
However, it is no coincidence that many teams are converging towards a large initial undercut and rear downwash descent. This geometry provides the best opportunity to widen the setup and operation window, which must align with an appropriate bottom design and mechanical setup.
Achieving precise control in designing an intricate floor like Red Bull’s, which has been described as “daunting” by Robson of Williams, requires a profound understanding of flows and porpoising.
For teams like Ferrari and Mercedes, who have envisioned true ground effect cars, missing a key element in the medium to long term, such as reducing the extremity of the Venturi channels, has proven detrimental. This outcome may not have seemed beneficial in theory. Red Bull has capitalized on this opportunity, as demonstrated by their considerable advantage on the track for nearly a year.
The TD39 floor update for Ferrari, along with adjustments to porpoising and changes in regulations, have essentially undermined the plans of the top two teams. Mercedes had already anticipated last autumn that the new regulations would favor Red Bull, particularly due to minimal adaptations required for the floor, and their prediction has come to fruition.
Consequently, both teams, especially Ferrari, are diligently working on introducing innovations to their floors. With the updated floor set to debut between the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring and the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone circuit, there will be a total of four updates, although the truly new designs can be considered as three (Miami, Spain, and the upcoming one), as explained by F1 experts Giuliano Duchess and Piergiuseppe Donadoni.
The development direction aims to reduce the extreme suction effect by better controlling the depressurized areas under the floor using shallower channels. These channels help mitigate sensitivity to varying heights. Energizing the generated vortices under the channels remains crucial to directing them towards the diffuser and the small yet highly effective elements on the sides of the rear wheels. Venturi with greater height facilitates achieving the desired outcomes more effectively.
The objective in theory is to attempt to decrease the peak negative pressure under the floor, as observed in simulations. However, on the track, this approach has resulted in unexpected stalls at certain speeds. Consequently, it reduces the generated downforce, making the platform considerably more unstable, particularly in low- and medium-high-speed corners.
Leave a Reply