They want to develop a more aerodynamic, efficient car. Teams are essentially trying to develop more downforce with either the same level of drag, or less. The two main aerodynamic tools that the teams use are the wind tunnel and computational fluid dynamics. Let’s consider the chassis team and the aerodynamic development in a little more detail. Over the average case, and due to the fact that we have a single tyre supplier, we can consider that the grip should be the same between the cars. This can be due to the way the tyre is operated between different cars, and this results in a slightly difference performance. Of course, we know that there are many cases where the tyre grip between cars for an identical compound on the same track, at the same time, will be slightly different. We only consider the aerodynamic downforce/drag, and the engine power. So, for the purposes of this graphic, it is considered identical across the cars. We should consider that at present we have a single tyre supplier in Formula 1. It is very similar in effect, to the aerodynamic downforce. The higher the tyre grip, the higher the cornering performance, and therefore the lower the lap time. Tighter Grip – This is another very sensitive performance parameter for a Formula 1 car. Performance from the power unit is derived principally in a straight line we call this the power limited section of the track, and the more power we can add at this point, the faster the straight line performance of the car will be.
The power unit teams and manufacturers are constantly trying to develop more power within their power units in order to give the chassis teams a better overall lap time. Although this is a very crude analysis, it does give a view on the overall resultant of power. Quite simply, the more power, the better the lap time. We call this aerodynamic efficiency, and this is explained in a later section.Įngine/Power Unit Power – This, as I’m certain we all understand inherently, refers to the amount of power that the engine/power unit produces.
Therefore, the F1 chassis development teams are constantly trying to reduce drag, or at least add downforce with as little additional drag as possible. The drag is the resisting force the air force that is trying to slow the car down as it moves around the track. Therefore, downforce is an extremely important element of an F1 car.Īerodynamic Drag – With any aerodynamic entity, such as a wing section, when you create downforce, you will also create some level of drag.
The more the car is pushed into the ground, the higher the lateral acceleration (or mid corner speed) it can generate. We hope to give you an understanding of how the chassis and engine teams develop their cars, and ultimately how quickly they can develop them.Ĭar development within the Formula 1 team setting can be broken down into four specific elements:Īerodynamic Downforce – This is the force that pushes the car and, more importantly, the tyres into the ground while the car is cornering. We will look at the important aspects that make up an F1 car performance and break that down into something that is understandable for the F1 fan. Therefore, this new Car Analysis / Team Development graphic is set to go behind the curtain of how teams develop their cars, how quickly they develop their cars, and what the on-track result is. If you can do this, you will not only win races, but also win world championships. As an F1 engineer who has worked in a team setting for many years, I know that car development is the very reason for the technical teams’ existence – to develop a car faster than your Formula 1 rivals.
#F1 2021 CAR SERIES#
The next graphic that we are going to look at within the F1 Insights series really tells the story of the heart of the Formula 1 team. This is no different to what we do within the Formula 1 teams’ environment - using data analytics to help inform our decisions - and I’m proud that this is also becoming the case also for Formula 1 fans. My feeling is that in two years’ time, fans will have complete reliance on data analytics to help them understand Formula 1 racing at a deeper level. The feedback we have had on the F1 Insights powered by AWS graphic series has been resoundingly positive and, therefore, we as a team are producing more of these insights to help tell the story through the data. Throughout this Formula 1 season we have seen an increasing display and interest in data analytics through on-screen broadcast graphics.