listed here are all of the secrets and techniques

January 5, 2025

14

All through our analyses, we’ve typically talked about “aerodynamic load,” “high-downforce circuits,” and “low-downforce circuits.” However what do these phrases imply? How can we differentiate between numerous monitor sorts? We’ll discover these questions on this article with the assistance of our graphics.

Beginning with the fundamentals: aerodynamic load

The 2024 F1 season has undoubtedly delivered thrilling moments for motorsport fanatics. There’s been loads of motion on monitor and a number of other drivers contending for victory. A contributing issue is that some vehicles tailored higher than others to particular tracks all through the season. This sometimes led to single-seaters displaying fully totally different behaviors from one GP to the subsequent.

However why does this occur? Basically, two components are concerned. On one hand, it’s concerning the capacity of the vehicles to “digest” sure monitor traits. On the opposite, it’s concerning the tracks themselves.

Let’s begin with the vehicles. In concept, they need to be capable of carry out optimally on any kind of monitor. Nonetheless, this isn’t easy. For that reason, updates are launched to the vehicles through the season. The aim? To search out the proper compromise for a particular monitor between downforce (also referred to as “aerodynamic load”) and drag (resistance to ahead movement). Due to this fact, it’s essential to know the distinction between downforce and drag. The picture beneath reveals how these two forces act. It’s evident that the load is primarily generated by the automobile’s ground in trendy automobiles. That is complemented by the load generated by the wings and the general automobile physique.

Downforce refers back to the power created by the airflow hitting the automobile, urgent it downward, and protecting it glued to the bottom. Increased downforce interprets into higher grip and, consequently, greater cornering speeds. Nonetheless, elevated downforce additionally ends in larger drag, which reduces high velocity. Consequently, the facility unit must ship extra energy. Based mostly on these ideas, tracks are categorized as “high-downforce circuits” and “low-downforce circuits.”

Excessive-downforce circuits: tips on how to acknowledge them

The time period “high-downforce circuit” sometimes refers to tracks the place the prevalence of corners outweighs that of straights (a excessive variety of corners and few straights). On this case, the automobile’s downforce is extra vital than the engine’s energy. Due to this fact, in high-downforce circuits, a good portion of a automobile’s efficiency comes from the downforce it generates reasonably than engine energy. Nonetheless, it isn’t correct to say that energy has no influence on efficiency. In actual fact, greater energy permits groups to go for extra aggressive setups and obtain optimum efficiency. On these tracks, groups use rear wings with greater incidence angles to attain larger downforce and grip in corners. Frequent examples of high-downforce circuits embrace Monaco, Singapore, Mexico, Hungary, and Brazil.

Low-downforce circuits: tips on how to acknowledge them

The time period “low-downforce circuit” or “energy circuit” sometimes refers to tracks the place the prevalence of straights outweighs that of corners (lengthy straights and brief, sluggish corners). On this case, engine energy is extra vital than downforce. For these tracks, a good portion of efficiency comes from engine energy reasonably than downforce. Nonetheless, it’s incorrect to say that downforce is pointless on low-downforce circuits. Monza is the quintessential energy circuit. It’s estimated that 75% of a lap right here is accomplished with the throttle absolutely open. For this house race, groups convey excessive automobile setups that gained’t be used once more through the season. On this case, rear wings have minimal incidence angles to attain greater high speeds and decrease drag. Frequent examples of low-downforce circuits embrace Miami, Azerbaijan, Canada, and Belgium.

Similar monitor, differing kinds: it’s attainable

Sure, it’s attainable. Throughout the similar monitor, it’s attainable to determine each high-downforce and low-downforce sectors. Examples embrace Silverstone, Spa, and Austin. Micro-sector analyses have proven that vehicles carry out higher in sure sections of the monitor than others. As an example, McLaren has usually appeared extra aggressive in high-downforce sectors. For that reason, the automobile’s setup is decided by discovering the proper compromise between downforce and high velocity. Moreover, different track-specific components, reminiscent of monitor evolution, grip, and asphalt abrasion, play a task.

To conclude, we current beneath a abstract desk of the F1 2024 season circuits with their downforce ranges (Pirelli information).