Thread: Engine power
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Old 17 Dec 2002, 18:37 (Ref:451978)   #6
C_g
Racer
 
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location:
Baltimore, USA
Posts: 204
C_g should be qualifying in the top 10 on the grid
The other way to reduce speeds is to reduce tire grip and aerodynamic grip. Both those have been tried - flat bottoms in '94 along with the narrower tires for GT1 cars, and the grooved tires in F1. Mixed results to be sure.

As it turns out, flat bottoms are not such a good idea for cars that have such a large plan area. Since they rely on the rake angle for ground-effect-enhanced downforce, this downforce can quickly change to upforce. Tunnels should reduce this pitch sensitivity, but they will also increase underbody downforce, speeding the cars up through the corners.

Grooved tires in F1 seem to have worked in slowing the cars down. I'm not sure how these would work in endurance racing. It would require a lot of R&D on the part of the tire companies for sure.

Mandating aerodynamic devices that create drag seems to be the best way to reduce top speeds. Reducing power has the same effect I guess, but drivers seem to like this less.
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