listed below are all of the secrets and techniques

January 5, 2025

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All through our analyses, we have now typically talked about “aerodynamic load,” “high-downforce circuits,” and “low-downforce circuits.” However what do these phrases imply? How can we differentiate between numerous observe varieties? 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 lovers. There’s been loads of motion on observe and several other drivers contending for victory. A contributing issue is that some automobiles tailored higher than others to particular tracks all through the season. This often led to single-seaters displaying utterly totally different behaviors from one GP to the following.

However why does this occur? Primarily, two components are concerned. On one hand, it’s in regards to the capability of the automobiles to “digest” sure observe traits. On the opposite, it’s in regards to the tracks themselves.

Let’s begin with the automobiles. In concept, they need to be capable to carry out optimally on any kind of observe. Nonetheless, this isn’t easy. For that reason, updates are launched to the automobiles through the season. The purpose? To seek out the best compromise for a particular observe between downforce (also referred to as “aerodynamic load”) and drag (resistance to ahead movement). Due to this fact, it’s essential to grasp 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 flooring in trendy automobiles. That is complemented by the load generated by the wings and the general automobile physique.

Downforce refers back to the drive 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, increased cornering speeds. Nonetheless, elevated downforce additionally ends in better drag, which reduces prime velocity. Consequently, the facility unit must ship extra energy. Primarily based on these ideas, tracks are categorized as “high-downforce circuits” and “low-downforce circuits.”

Excessive-downforce circuits: methods 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 essential 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 relatively than engine energy. Nonetheless, it isn’t correct to say that energy has no impression on efficiency. In reality, increased energy permits groups to go for extra aggressive setups and obtain optimum efficiency. On these tracks, groups use rear wings with increased incidence angles to attain better downforce and grip in corners. Widespread examples of high-downforce circuits embrace Monaco, Singapore, Mexico, Hungary, and Brazil.

Low-downforce circuits: methods 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 essential than downforce. For these tracks, a good portion of efficiency comes from engine energy relatively 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 residence race, groups carry excessive automobile setups that received’t be used once more through the season. On this case, rear wings have minimal incidence angles to attain increased prime speeds and decrease drag. Widespread examples of low-downforce circuits embrace Miami, Azerbaijan, Canada, and Belgium.

Identical observe, differing kinds: it’s attainable

Sure, it’s attainable. Inside the identical observe, it’s attainable to establish each high-downforce and low-downforce sectors. Examples embrace Silverstone, Spa, and Austin. Micro-sector analyses have proven that automobiles carry out higher in sure sections of the observe than others. As an illustration, McLaren has typically appeared extra aggressive in high-downforce sectors. For that reason, the automobile’s setup is set by discovering the best compromise between downforce and prime velocity. Moreover, different track-specific components, similar to observe 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 knowledge).