I can see how wings and other surfaces that affect lift and drag could be changed by the computer as sensors tell it the forces experienced by the car and where it is on the track. Are there series which allow something like that? Would it add too much weight for the car to gain any performance?

Will Pittenger - 07 September 2008 04:41 PM

I can see how wings and other surfaces that affect lift and drag could be changed by the computer as sensors tell it the forces experienced by the car and where it is on the track. Are there series which allow something like that? Would it add too much weight for the car to gain any performance?

The F1 trio seemed to think that it was a possibility in F1.

Jim Hall took care of that back in the '60s with his Chapparels. His wasn't a very complicated system, but it scared the organizers and fellow competitors that they banned movable aerodynamic devices once Jim started winning races.

They tried movable sideskirts in F1 in the '80 (the ground effects era) but they gave that up too.

For those that don't understand the reason, the movable aero devices are so good at creating down-force and braking etc, that they were banned because when they work as I said they are great,the problem is mid lap when they stop working, they cause fatalities. Watch what happens to an F1 car when it loses it's rear wing. Computer controlled aero would be the most dangerous yet. AA JMHO}

Bill

hobbymanbill - 08 September 2008 03:10 AM

For those that don't understand the reason, the movable aero devices are so good at creating down-force and braking etc, that they were banned because when they work as I said they are great,the problem is mid lap when they stop working, they cause fatalities. Watch what happens to an F1 car when it loses it's rear wing. Computer controlled aero would be the most dangerous yet. AA JMHO}

Bill

Yet F1 are looking into the possibility?

hobbymanbill - 08 September 2008 03:10 AM

For those that don't understand the reason, the movable aero devices are so good at creating down-force and braking etc, that they were banned because when they work as I said they are great,the problem is mid lap when they stop working, they cause fatalities. Watch what happens to an F1 car when it loses it's rear wing. Computer controlled aero would be the most dangerous yet. AA JMHO}

Bill

We could address the safety issue by having the system default to maximum downforce when something isn't working.

Will Pittenger - 14 September 2008 03:18 PM

hobbymanbill - 08 September 2008 03:10 AM

For those that don't understand the reason, the movable aero devices are so good at creating down-force and braking etc, that they were banned because when they work as I said they are great,the problem is mid lap when they stop working, they cause fatalities. Watch what happens to an F1 car when it loses it's rear wing. Computer controlled aero would be the most dangerous yet. AA JMHO}

Bill

We could address the safety issue by having the system default to maximum downforce when something isn't working.

Except when the safety-default fails, which it will. These things ALWAYS fail in the WORST possible way. People will die.

I don't remember F1 having computer controlled wings. There was the active suspensions active ride racecars witch in a way worked like that.