Expert: Dan Liddy - 7/10/2003

Question
Dear Dan,

I am very satisfy with your prompt and informative answer. Really I have no word to thank you. They have been giving me a lot of information to know what exactly F1 cars and recess are…

Dan would you please tell me about aerodynamic-force, why we create enormous amount of aerodynamic force to F1 cars? How many cc F1 car engine has and what does they mean?

I will appreciate if you give me elaborate and informative enough reply … Because I am desperately want to get information about F1…

Regards,
Farhan nazir
Yokcity@yahoo.com  

Answer
Hello again Farhan:

Aerodynamics is used on all race cars to create 'downforce' which forces the car down against the racing surface, or track pavement, causing the tires to grip the road more effectively. If you look closely at an F-1 car you will see little bits of wings nearly everywhere on the car body.  Even the rear view mirrors have a wing shape to them. Also they use various fairings here and there to direct the flow of air to the wings. They spend millions of dollars each year trying to find out more about aifflow, and trying to find ways to increase the downforce without increasing the drag of the devices.

 I have heard that if an F-1 car were being driven at over 100 MPH, it could be driven on the ceiling of a large building upside down, and that the downforce would hold it up against the ceiling.  I also have heard that as much as 2500 Lbs. (4166 Kg)  of downforce can be created at racing speeds. This helps tremdously with keeping the car stable especially in high speed corners.

The engine size from the rule book is 3000 cc, and it must be a V-10 engine with steel or cast iron crankshaft and camshafts, no more than 5 valves per cylinder, and that the block may NOT be of carbon fibre or ceramic materials, leaving aluminium, or perhaps titanium.  The engine must be naturally aspirated, meaning that turbochargers and superchargers are NOT allowed.

The engine size mentioned above has a lot to do with the amount of horsepower available to the race car. It is the sum of the internal displacement or volume of the cylinders, an basically, the larger the engine in this respect, the more horsepower can be gotten.  This is why many American drag race cars have engines that are over 8200 cc.  HUGE V-8s

Did you know that Formula One has a website ?  You can learn a LOT by going to "www.formula1.com"

I hope this information is a help to you, and that you have a pleasant day

Dan Liddy
Sarasota, Fl. USA