How Formula 1 aerodynamics can

help an extreme track day car

Willem ToetSenior Sales Manager

Aerodynamic Services

• Knowledge transfer from F1 into other industries

• Engineering services (testing, dynamics, design)

• Aerodynamics (CFD, wind tunnel,

development)

• Data acquisition & sensor tech.

• Materials / Additive manufacturing

What do the Sauber Group do?

SAUBER Aerodynamics

How much difference does aerodynamics make?

A Glimpse into the Secrets of AerodynamicsThe Power of Aerodynamics

Lap time 82.18 seconds

A Glimpse into the Secrets of AerodynamicsThe Power of Aerodynamics

Lap time 82.18 seconds

103.64 = 21.46 sec. slower

A Glimpse into the Secrets of AerodynamicsThe Power of Aerodynamics

Lap time 82.18 seconds

103.64 = 21.46 sec. slower70%

24%

8%

Slow corner 70kph

without downforce but

8% faster with.......

A Glimpse into the Secrets of AerodynamicsThe Power of Aerodynamics

Lap time 82.18 seconds

103.64 = 21.46 sec. slower

101.63 = 2.01 sec. faster

Main tools for aerodynamic development used in Formula 1

1

2

3On-track testing:

Wind Tunnel:

60% scale model

CFD:

Computational

Fluid Dynamics

Model Scale

Wind Tunnel Testing

Wind Tunnel Model• Model from 2003 – this is a 50% model

• Model with bodywork removed – you see the mechanical layout and some electronics

© Willem Toet & MIA 2019

Wind Tunnel Model • 50% Model from 2003

© Willem Toet & MIA 2019

Model Design•Design details for discussion – 2005

•Mechanical sprung suspension for wheels on model

Aerodynamic development / Simulation tools

Wind Tunnel – 60% model

• Technical Data• 9.4 m Tube Diameter

• Model and Full Size Testing

• Steel Belt Rolling Road 0-80 m/s

• Turntable +/- 10 Deg

SAUBER Aerodynamik AG

• Large CFD cluster, new 2018, extended 2019

• In house developed model positional setup and

meshing software automates preparation

• In house solver constantly evolved, & tuned

together with universities and correlation team –

great results, fast, many categories

• Bespoke turbulence models and solver settings

have further improved accuracy

• Post processing automated, saves man time,

report writing aids speed up communication of

results

CFD - State of the art computational tools

CFD Applications and Challenges

Aero Maps – Dynamic Meshing

Meshing

SnappyHexMesh – open Source Modified Mesher used by Sauber Group

CFD – Solving

Trade-off between accuracy and run time. Testing more geometrical

options vs having a deeper understanding of the flow.

Beyond RANS

Track Testing

Rakes – not the first thing we measure – more like the last…

Manufacturers are fighting to achieve the best fuel consumption

– and a major contributor is Aerodynamics

Bitter rivals Audi and BMW (as most manufacturers) are in a battle to

achieve the lowest drag coefficient for normal saloon cars – the winners are

their customers – and Engineers / Aerodynamicists26

Hyper-cars need downforce for stability and low drag for top speed

More and more aerodynamic research is being

done into hypercars27

Aston Martin RB001

BugattiChiron

PaganiHuayra

KoenigseggJesto

GT Race cars, based on Road Cars already give aero clues

Time attack cars are the most extreme road based cars out there…You can find more information via my free posts

on LinkedIn

www.linkedin.com/today/posts/willemtoet1

• For more about the design of Formula SAE /

Student cars start with the blue circled posts

• For posts more about aerodynamics (with a

Formula 1 focus) look at these

• If you use Microsoft Edge to go into LinkedIn

and find any of my posts then hunt for a link to

“more posts” which will give you a page that

looks like these images....

• With Google LinkedIn uses a new layout which

I’m still getting used to...

Search for “Willem Toet posts” on any browser and you should find the link

You don’t need to be registered and don’t need to pay (to be a premium member)

30

Creating a Diffuser….

• Read about how a motorsport

diffuser works in via LinkedIn or

RaceTech Magazine.

• The LinkedIn article has slightly

clearer pictures, but the

RaceTecMag website article has

more detail at the end o the

article….

31

Managing Cooling Airflow

• There is a lot more information and

explanations in my LinkedIn post

called “Air Ducts – a down to earth

guide for motorsports applications”

32

Wing Design – wings and elements not in ground effect

• It is not necessary – or indeed particularly helpful to use “standard”

wing sections when designing aerofoil arrays – they have been

developed and tested alone....

• Aircraft wings need to collapse to an efficient shape when not used

for takeoff or landing - you don’t need to do that

• Think about curvature continuity and where that may be important

• Slot gaps should compress air so that the smallest gap is at the

trailing edge of the gap – overlaps are longer than you may think

• Allow space for slot gap air – but not too much

• Slot gaps may need to be big enough to allow debris (rubber

marbles) through.... (front wings F1 this is important)

• Unless you have great

research tools, don’t allow

the flap TE go vertical

These elements have

been created in Excel

as chart (X/Y) plots.....

So I have generated

them mathematically –

that should tell you

something.

33

When working in Ground Effect

• Curvature should be reduced because of the forced acceleration under

the wing. Another place that “standard” sections may not be the best…

• As drawn this wing may have a trailing edge separation…

Front Flick ups

TestCurve allows air out of

wheel arch area, more

downforce, esp if nose

up

Baseline Run

Louvres – Front wheel well Louvres – Front wheel well

Louvres can “connect” to

rear air enties of you

have them

Tyre Jets – here the front ones are managed by high energy

flow coming inboard of the front wheels but at the rear….

Tyre Jets – here the front ones are managed by high energy

flow coming inboard of the front wheels but at the rear….Fundamental

flow

regimes

used

One word

Vorticity

Note also

“rear brake

duct”

Diffuser kick line is often on rear axle centre line… Diffuser kick line does not have to be on axle centreline

Diffuser fences / strakes do not have to be straight unless

rules force them to be..

Fences can be fully

3D if there are no rules

- and should be… Questions?

by Willem Toet