What is the Debate about Exhaust Types?
Formula 1 teams are always looking to push the technological envelope. Finding any advantage is incredibly important when it comes to success in Formula 1. Even being able to shave a few tenths of a second every lap can make the difference between a podium finish and being in the middle of the pack.
One of the areas where teams look to get an advantage is in the diffuser. This is an extension at the rear of a race car that creates down force and reduces drag by funnel the air that blows over the car to specific areas. The diffuser became a major source of controversy in 2009 when the Toyota, Williams and Brawn teams each interpreted the rules about diffusers differently than other teams. They used a “double deck” diffuser system which included holes being punched into the under body of the car, allowing more air flow to be directed toward the rear wing.
The “double deck” diffuser became a major source of controversy after it was first debuted in 2009. Many of the rival teams to the three teams using the technology cried foul, claiming that the design violated the letter and the spirit of the law. However, Formula 1 officials could find nothing illegal about the design, allowing the three teams to continue to use them. The rest of the field was forced to work hard to develop their own double deck diffusers in order to compete – a financially costly situation, especially considering Formula 1’s ban on in-season testing.
After approving the double deck diffuser for use through the 2009 season, Formula 1 decided to review the situation in the off-season. In January, the Formula One Teams’ Association (FOTA) decided to allow the double deck diffuser for the 2010 season but ban it moving forward after the 2011 season. This give teams one season to discover new ways to gain benefits from an advanced diffuser system while staying within Formula 1’s new rules.
Red Bull Racing came out of the blocks in 2010 with a different design which quickly raised the interest of the other teams on the grid. They took great pains to conceal their diffuser from other teams, even covering it up while it was on the grid and in the paddock. However, it quickly became clear that Red Bull had gone with a different diffuser system in order to gain down force and speed – a blown exhaust diffuser.
Simply put, a blown exhaust diffuser sits lower on the car than other diffusers. This allows the gasses from the exhaust to be directly blown onto the diffuser. This increase in the flow of air and gasses create additional down force and help the car “suck” to the track, allowing it to go faster and handle better. It also serves the purpose of moving the “wake” of the air flow outside of the rear wheel, improving stability.
In Formula 1 racing, imitation is more than just the sincerest form of flattery – it’s also a means of survival. After Red Bull cars put up consistently fast times with the blown exhaust diffuser in the early part of the season, their rivals took notice and developed their own blown exhaust diffuser systems. Mercedes, Ferrari and Renault have each developed their own blown exhaust diffuser with McLaren and Force India expected to soon follow suit.
The ironic part is that the concept of the blown exhaust diffuser is far from new – they were widely used in the 1980s by the Williams team and others. However, the technology has advanced to make blown exhaust diffusers much more complex and usable. While Red Bull principal Christian Horner says that the system might only provide a few tenths of a second of difference, that’s an eternity in the Formula 1 world.
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