Ferrari F1 wheels

[Stram_man]

Watching the race last night I noticed the Ferrari's had black covers on both the front & rear wheels.
I noticed the rear wheels have been covered since the start of the season however this time in included the fromts as well.
What are they trying to achive? Is it simply an aero advantage by reducing turbulence at the hub? There must be some elaborate cooling system for the rotors?

[Ranger]

Watching the race last night I noticed the Ferrari's had black covers on both the front & rear wheels.
I noticed the rear wheels have been covered since the start of the season however this time in included the fromts as well.
What are they trying to achive? Is it simply an aero advantage by reducing turbulence at the hub? There must be some elaborate cooling system for the rotors?

They will tell you it's a brake-cooling system by focusing the air. However, yes it is also arguably an aerodynamic aid by reducing turbulence, but they do not call it that, as it would then be classified as a moving aerodynamic device and wouldn't be allowed.

[F1MAN2007]

They will tell you it's a brake-cooling system by focusing the air. However, yes it is also arguably an aerodynamic aid by reducing turbulence, but they do not call it that, as it would then be classified as a moving aerodynamic device and wouldn't be allowed.

Nice comment man!!! :D

[blakebeatty]

See the technical analysis on F1.com.



Although they've been tested at Barcelona and Paul Ricard, Silverstone marks the race debut for these items. Their purpose is to direct the hot airflow generated under braking away from the wheels and underneath the car (red arrow). The slit in the rim shield has a specific 27-degree angle to achieve this. The hot air accelerates the airflow underneath the car, hence helping with the extraction of air via the diffuser. This provides additional downforce, better stability and an improved aero balance. As you can see, the function of the front shields is completely different to the rears, which simply aid brake cooling and reduce turbulence.

[ioan]

See the technical analysis on F1.com.
Although they've been tested at Barcelona and Paul Ricard, Silverstone marks the race debut for these items. Their purpose is to direct the hot airflow generated under braking away from the wheels and underneath the car (red arrow). The slit in the rim shield has a specific 27-degree angle to achieve this. The hot air accelerates the airflow underneath the car, hence helping with the extraction of air via the diffuser. This provides additional downforce, better stability and an improved aero balance. As you can see, the function of the front shields is completely different to the rears, which simply aid brake cooling and reduce turbulence.

Must be however added that what they say about that plus downforce (that must be not too much given that the temperature of the hot air is lost almost instantly when it flows into the surrounding cooler air) is only working in the straights when the car doesn't turn at all, otherwise the air goes in other directions that under the car.

So these are more than anything brake cooling devices with a very very small aerodynamic advantage.

[wmcot]

Funny that RD isn't protesting them like the "flexible floor." Maybe these weren't covered in the technical documents supplied (allegedly) by Stepney?? Then again, RD is just being strangely nice to everyone these days, isn't he? ;)

[Ranger]

Funny that RD isn't protesting them like the "flexible floor." Maybe these weren't covered in the technical documents supplied (allegedly) by Stepney?? Then again, RD is just being strangely nice to everyone these days, isn't he? ;)
Well no-one complained about them last year either when Renault were losing a lot of ground to Ferrari, when the wheel rims were first seen on the Ferrari, and that was in the midst of a rather more heated championship between teams, so I don't think Ron has anything to do with this (not that he specifically complained about the flexing floor in the first place, but thats another issue).

[samuratt]

Well no-one complained about them last year either when Renault were losing a lot of ground to Ferrari, when the wheel rims were first seen on the Ferrari, and that was in the midst of a rather more heated championship between teams, so I don't think Ron has anything to do with this (not that he specifically complained about the flexing floor in the first place, but thats another issue).

In fact, Pedro commented on the spanish broadcast that Mclaren have tested similar solutions, but they did not find any advantage on them...

[ArrowsFA1]

Well no-one complained about them last year...
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/54081

[Mark]

So what I can gather is that when hot air is injected under the car, the downforce is improved, but of course the brakes are only generating heat when the car is braking! But as braking is heavily affected by downforce, the effect is to decrease braking distance, clever :up: (I think they should be banned tho :p )

[janneppi]

(I think they should be banned tho :p )
I agree, just for the reason the tool to fasten tyre nuts looks very silly. :)
What next, spinner wheels?
Or as a popular musician says, throw some D's on that b***h" :p :

[F1MAN2007]

so, is not this another version of mass dumpers?!! Because it improves the stability of the car and giving a small advantage to the aero?

[ioan]

so, is not this another version of mass dumpers?!! Because it improves the stability of the car and giving a small advantage to the aero?

If it was like that McLaren would have contested it, after all they were the ones who contested the Renault and Ferrari mass dampers last season, as well as the Ferrari and BMW floors this season!

[Flat.tyres]

Must be however added that what they say about that plus downforce (that must be not too much given that the temperature of the hot air is lost almost instantly when it flows into the surrounding cooler air) is only working in the straights when the car doesn't turn at all, otherwise the air goes in other directions that under the car.

So these are more than anything brake cooling devices with a very very small aerodynamic advantage.

i find this statement difficult to accept.

Ferrari claim this is a brake cooling device and as such, can legitimatly use it as it is not a moving aero device.

now, how much it cools brakes and how much it helps aerodynamically is not known. we know it does have an aero benefit but whether this is significant or not is assumption based on opinion and guesswork rather than data. It is entirely possible that it is primarily beneficial as an aero device with a secondary benefit as a cooling device but the fact it aids cooling is enough to legitimise its use in this case.

good innovation from Maranello if you want my opinion.

[F1MAN2007]

If it was like that McLaren would have contested it, after all they were the ones who contested the Renault and Ferrari mass dampers last season, as well as the Ferrari and BMW floors this season!


But now, RD is being nice to everyone in Paddock (like someone said) and won't contest any more?!

[ioan]

But now, RD is being nice to everyone in Paddock (like someone said) and won't contest any more?!

Well, since his team is at the receiving end of the Stepney mail he can hardly afford to accuse anyone of anything. So he is being nice to Jean Todt.

[F1MAN2007]

i find this statement difficult to accept.

Ferrari claim this is a brake cooling device and as such, can legitimatly use it as it is not a moving aero device.

now, how much it cools brakes and how much it helps aerodynamically is not known. we know it does have an aero benefit but whether this is significant or not is assumption based on opinion and guesswork rather than data. It is entirely possible that it is primarily beneficial as an aero device with a secondary benefit as a cooling device but the fact it aids cooling is enough to legitimise its use in this case.

good innovation from Maranello if you want my opinion.

For me, Ferrari is a big team and knows what they are doing. They can't introduce or use this while it doesn't give them an advantage. There is an advantage and the problem is to know if it is only on the cooling system rather than to the aero.

[F1MAN2007]

Well, since his team is at the receiving end of the Stepney mail he can hardly afford to accuse anyone of anything. So he is being nice to Jean Todt.

What would you do if you were RD?! :D

[ArrowsFA1]

It is entirely possible that it is primarily beneficial as an aero device with a secondary benefit as a cooling device but the fact it aids cooling is enough to legitimise its use in this case.
Back in 1978 Brabham claimed the primary purpose of their fan was cooling. Of course, the fact that the car stuck to the road like glue was just a lucky coincidence :p :laugh: