Formula One (1 Viewer)

[TheDeparted]

Lewis complains that Red Bull has bendy rear-wing, FIA steps in.

Classic F1

Would be entertaining if they found something on Merc

 

[superchuck500]

So Monte Carlo is this weekend - I don't like that it has been moved from Memorial Day weekend where it would always kick off the greatest day of motorsport with the Monaco GP, Indy 500, and Coke 600 on the same damn day. That just seemed sacred to me, but I recognize that it's a uniquely American view and that the FIA or most of the F1 community doesn't really see it as such a day.

I do like the McLaren throwback Gulf Oil livery. Very cool.

 

[TheDeparted]

I don't really care much about looks myself, and I'd be happy if all the teams simply painted their cars a single, unique color - but this one-off McLaren livery is very attractive. Probably my favorite one from this season.

 

[superchuck500]

I don't really care much about looks myself, and I'd be happy if all the teams simply painted their cars a single, unique color - but this one-off McLaren livery is very attractive. Probably my favorite one from this season.

Blasphemer!

J/K but I think livery ("paint schemes" in American racing) are a great little sub-culture of racing. I follow quite a few designers on twitter, there's some really cool stuff going on now that computer design and wraps have basically made "painting" the cars so much cheaper and easier to have really sharp designs.

I heard Marcus Lemonis (CEO of Camping World) talking about it - he said these days you can put a high-quality, full-color wrap on a Nascar car for about $10K (I'm sure F1/Indy is more due to the angles in the car body). And there are kids on twitter (talented amateurs) doing outstanding designs, so I doubt the design fees add all that much to the cost. That's a long way from where we were 20 years ago.

 

[TheDeparted]

Blasphemer!

J/K but I think livery ("paint schemes" in American racing) are a great little sub-culture of racing. I follow quite a few designers on twitter, there's some really cool stuff going on now that computer design and wraps have basically made "painting" the cars so much cheaper and easier to have really sharp designs.

I heard Marcus Lemonis (CEO of Camping World) talking about it - he said these days you can put a high-quality, full-color wrap on a Nascar car for about $10K (I'm sure F1/Indy is more due to the angles in the car body). And there are kids on twitter (talented amateurs) doing outstanding designs, so I doubt the design fees add all that much to the cost. That's a long way from where we were 20 years ago.

Oh for sure, vinyl wraps really simplify things. I don't know if you're familiar with Local Motors' Rally Fighter, but they didn't do paint either - only vinyl wraps and the creativity on display was really great. I just wish I didn't miss my opportunity to go build one for myself.

 

[superchuck500]

Oh for sure, vinyl wraps really simplify things. I don't know if you're familiar with Local Motors' Rally Fighter, but they didn't do paint either - only vinyl wraps and the creativity on display was really great. I just wish I didn't miss my opportunity to go build one for myself.

I wasn't but just looked at them. Really cool.

 

[superchuck500]

 

[TheDeparted]

For anyone who's curious, Scott Mansell is not related to Nigel Mansell - but he makes great videos like this one

 

[Devildog]

 

[COsaintsfan]

That was pretty cool. They must add extra cushioning in that seat for Grosjean's massive sack cause there's no way in hell I'd be getting back in an open wheel car after bahrain.

 

[TheDeparted]

 

[superchuck500]

Some drama in the final stage of qualifying. With under a minute to go, LeClerc puts the car in the barrier, causing some real damage but also preserving his pole by bringing out the red flag as Verstappen and Bottas were both on flying laps with first sectors to the green.

Lewis couldn’t get anything together and is P7.

 

[superchuck500]

I definitely remember this one - Schumacher and JPM hit under safety car. That Ferrari team of Schumacher and Barrichello were dominant for years back then. I guess this was the tail end of that run.

 

[TheDeparted]

So this is video of Merc vs Red Bull's wing deflection during the last race with a grid:



Some of the video commenters point out something really interesting though - the Mercedes' "shark fin" is flapping around like a flag. Which is interesting for a couple of reasons:

• The fin is an aero element, and aero elements are not allowed to move, so aren't Mercedes technically in violation of the same rule they've filed a complaint against Red Bull for?
• If the fin flapping around (against the rules) provides no advantage, why allow it? Flexing parts lead to failure due to materials fatigue which then causes accidents when the vehicle's handing characteristics suddenly change.
• If the fin is generating a low pressure zone over the rear wing by spinning up vortices, it could stall the wing leading to lower drag at high speeds, which would be conceptually identical to a bendy wing that reduces drag at high speed

 

[superchuck500]

So this is video of Merc vs Red Bull's wing deflection during the last race with a grid:



Some of the video commenters point out something really interesting though - the Mercedes' "shark fin" is flapping around like a flag. Which is interesting for a couple of reasons:

• The fin is an aero element, and aero elements are not allowed to move, so aren't Mercedes technically in violation of the same rule they've filed a complain against Red Bull for?
• If the fin flapping around (against the rules) provides no advantage, why allow it? Flexing parts lead to failure due to materials fatigue which then causes accidents when the vehicle's handing characteristics suddenly change.
• If the fin is generating a low pressure zone over the rear wing by spinning up vortices, it could stall the wing leading to lower drag at high speeds, which would be conceptually identical to a bendy wing that reduces drag at high speed

The movement is substantial! The Red Bull fin is clearly rigid.