Evolution of the F1 Car

[James1985]

The F1 car is the most advanced race car on 4 wheels, but what do you think it will look like in maybe 10 to 20 years time.

 

[driessie]

That will only depend on the stupid rules the FIA is going to introduce in that time "to reduce cornering speeds"

 

[James1985]

The FIA are so dumb.

 

[Pupik]

Originally posted by driessie
That will only depend on the stupid rules the FIA is going to introduce in that time "to reduce cornering speeds"

It's true, there really hasn't been a great deal of changes to the cars in the past 20 years, they are really just a bit sleekler and more aerodynamic every year.

The changes that you see usually come from rule and safety changes. Probably the biggest change we've seen over the past 20 years has been the return of the airbox, since turbo engines gave way to normally aspirated ones, so it's fair to say cars have gotten taller. But again, it's more of a rule change than an evolutionary change.

Basiclaly, if one team creates an idea (say, like Tyrrell's high-mounted nose-cone) and it's sucessful, then everyone else follows suit, until it's deemed illegal.

 

[Mike Rotch]

Originally posted by James1985
The FIA are so dumb.

 

[millencolin]

the FIA has placed so many restrictions its hard for designers to think of something new. i think f1 cars will remain basically the same for the years to come

 

[GilesGuthrie]

Formula 1 has always sought to push the boundaries of design, to get around the rules. millencolin is right in that the restrictions are such that major innovations are pretty much impossible.

Because of this, F1 is in a real state of "optimisation", where the interactions of all components with their neighbours are being considered. Ferrari are the real masters of this in the whole car, and that's why they've been winning so much recently.

It means that superficially the cars all look the same, and don't change from year to year. But you go back and look at the 2000 Ferrari, and compare it with the current car...

 

[Macka]

Remember active suspensions in the early 1990's...

20 years is a LONG time. I am sure that the cars will be very different by then. I mean, compare a 2003 car toa 1983 car, surely the newer car is light years ahead in terms of materials, weight savings, structural integrity, and reliability.

Not to mention faster

 

[fantastic-robot]

much the same as today- but with square wheels. ;-)

 

[ExigeEvan]

I think they will.......

Break the sound barrier, the drivers will have to wear G-suits, which will mean a slight enlargement of the cockpit.

 

[fantastic-robot]

I doubt g-suits will be required. I also doubt cars will get much faster than they are today. Even if the regulations stay the same as of now there's not that much more they can do within them.

G-suits are required in planes that go up to ~9g- but remember that's up/down acceleration (mostly up- you can take more that way)- in f1 the acceleration if front/back/sideways.

 

[911_Carrera]

I wonder what their noses will look like. I mean if Williams have a good season with the new nose job then in 20 years it could be interesting.