GP2 - Hockenheim!

[META4]

italiaracing report that Ben Hanley will test the 2009 GP2 Package with an increasement of Horpower (+30), a Third Damper as well as a new aero package

[bradrive]

Originally Posted by META4

italiaracing report that Ben Hanley will test the 2009 GP2 Package with an increasement of Horpower (+30), a Third Damper as well as a new aero package

2009 GP2 modifications involve a third damper at the rear (gearbox attachment points are already on this year's gearbox. This is a interesting modification and also it is relatively cheap.

30 HP more on the engine is not going to cause new problems, engine and gearbox will support this without problems.

These 2 changes are believed to be necessary by the GP2 managment to keep the car faster than the new a1GP car.

GP2 are generally following F1 trends, so they want to try out the car without bargeboards, chimneys, T-wings and airbox wings to see how much performance they loose, in order to stay in line with 2009 F1 rules. They will find out that they will loose 1.5% in performance and will probably ask Dallara to do some windtunnel testing to recover performance, which then will include mods to the underside of the chassis, the nose and the frontwing including endplates. This might cost too much and so they will probably stick to the current aerodynamics apart from the sidepods without T-wings, chimneys and airbox wings and with smaller bargeboards.

The teams will accept these updates without problems, as the teams really struggle with other issues. They struggle with electrical problems affecting gearbox and clutch operation.

[bradrive]

Originally Posted by Sev

wtf, why a less efficient underfloor? That's one of the best things for keeping wheel to wheel racing; good downforce, but immune to the effects of following another car closely.

I agree that they're more sensative than last year, and that it is a bad thing, but don't start trying to change the wrong things!

We are not wanting to change the wrong things, as our job is within a GP2 team and therefore we have to get the most out of what is given to us.

Aerodynamics are not easily understood and there is a trend to oversimplify things. Generally speaking a diffuser undertray is a cheap way of getting good aero efficiency (downforce/drag), but if you try to have this combined with a F1 style raised nose/monocoque with raised front wing endplates (to copy the F1 looks (F1 have the raised front wing endplates to kill aero efficiency to slow down the cars, introducing highly yaw, pitch and airflow sensitive aero front/rear downforce splits)), you end up with the same aero problems as in F1 (loss of front aero downforce following another car), which indeed happens with the 2008 GP2 car.
The only way to change this is by depending less on the underfloor, hence to make it less efficient, modify the shape of the front of the car, e.g. nose, frontwing, frontwing endplate, bargeboard and underside of monocoque. The car will become less efficient and slower.

[chunterer]

Bradrive thankyou very much for these insights and for interpreting what META4 has reported.

Clearly you summarise that by taking the silly chimneys and pots off the aero package will probably help cars follow each other more closely again (as long as the cars still stay on the track with current underfloors) or the undefloor and diffusers will need changing as well!!

However if these changes make the cars a bit slower (hence the increase in bhp?) but also make the racing closer again that's a good thing right?

[bradrive]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Bradrive thankyou very much for these insights and for interpreting what META4 has reported.

Clearly you summarise that by taking the silly chimneys and pots off the aero package will probably help cars follow each other more closely again (as long as the cars still stay on the track with current underfloors) or the undefloor and diffusers will need changing as well!!

However if these changes make the cars a bit slower (hence the increase in bhp?) but also make the racing closer again that's a good thing right?

The cost increase for updated GP2 2009 aerodynamics is not really in the modified parts, but in the research Dallara will have to do.

The parts to be modified will most probably include:
- new fr.wing endplates, closer to the ground relative to the 2008 ones
- new underfloor keel
- modifications to the current underfloor (add on parts)
- elimiation of chimneys (cooling will still be ok due to the cooling gills)
- elimination of sidepod T-wing
- elimination of engine cover wing
- elimination or smaller bargeboards

If done properly the car will result 1% slower on a std "Barcelona type" track but will be less pitch/yaw/crosswind sensitive and suffer less following closely another car.
The performance loss will be counterbalanced with the increase of engine power.