Formula 1 cars - everything you need to know about them
Content
Formula 1 cars are the physical embodiment of the latest advances in the automotive industry. Watching the races provides the right dose of excitement in itself, but true fans know that the most important things happen off the track. Innovation, testing, engineering struggle to make the car even 1 km/h faster.
All this means that racing is only a small part of what Formula 1 is.
And you? Have you ever wondered how a Formula 1 car is built? What are its characteristics and why does it achieve such tremendous speed? If so, then you've come to the right place.
You will learn about everything from the article.
Formula 1 car - basic structural elements
Formula 1 is built around a few key elements. Let's consider each of them separately.
Monocoque and chassis
The designers of the car fit all the elements to its main part - the chassis, the central element of which is the so-called monocoque. If a Formula 1 car had a heart, it would be here.
The monocoque weighs approximately 35 kg and performs one of the most important tasks - to protect the health and life of the driver. Therefore, the designers make every effort to withstand even critical collisions.
Also in this area of the car there is a fuel tank and a battery.
However, the monocoque is at the heart of the car for another reason. It is there that the designers assemble the basic elements of the car, such as:
- drive unit,
- gearboxes,
- standard grinding zones,
- front suspension).
Now let's move on to the main questions: what does a monocoque consist of? How does it work?
The base is an aluminum frame, i.e. mesh, in shape little different from the honeycomb. Designers then coat this frame with at least 60 layers of flexible carbon fiber.
This is just the beginning of the work, because then the monocoque goes through lamination (600 times!), Air suction in a vacuum (30 times) and final curing in a special oven - autoclave (10 times).
In addition, designers pay great attention to the lateral crumple zones. In these places, the Formula 1 car is especially vulnerable to collisions and various accidents, and therefore requires additional protection. It's still at monocoque level and features an extra 6mm layer of carbon fiber and nylon.
The second material can also be found in body armor. It has kinetic force absorption properties, so it is also great for Formula 1. It is also found elsewhere in the car (for example, in the headrest that protects the driver's head).
dashboard
Just as the monocoque is the centerpiece of the entire car, the cockpit is the center of the monocoque. Of course, this is also the place from where the driver drives the vehicle. Hence, there are three things in the cockpit:
- armchair,
- steering wheel,
- pedals.
Another important feature of this element is tightness. At the top, the cab is 52 cm wide - just enough to fit under the driver's arms. However, the lower it is, the narrower it is. At leg height, the cockpit is only 32 cm wide.
Why such a project?
For two very important reasons. First of all, the cramped cab provides the driver with much more safety and protection against overloads. Secondly, it makes the car more aerodynamic and distributes weight better.
Finally, it should be added that the F1 car is practically prone to steer. The driver sits on an incline with the feet higher than the hips.
Руль
If you think that the steering wheel of Formula 1 is not much different from the steering wheel of a standard car, you are wrong. It's not just about the form, but also about the function buttons and other important things.
First of all, designers create a steering wheel individually for a specific driver. They take a cast of his clenched hands, and then on this basis and taking into account the suggestions of the rally driver, they prepare the final product.
In appearance, the steering wheel of a car resembles a somewhat simplified version of an airplane dashboard. This is because it has many buttons and knobs that the driver uses to control various functions of the car. In addition, in its central part there is an LED display, and on the sides there are handles, which, of course, could not be missing.
Interestingly, the rear of the steering wheel is functional too. Most often, the clutch and paddle shifters are placed here, but some drivers also use this space for additional function buttons.
halo
This is a relatively new invention in Formula 1 as it only appeared in 2018. What? The Halo system is responsible for protecting the driver's head in an accident. It weighs approximately 7 kg and consists of two parts:
- a titanium frame that surrounds the rider's head;
- an additional detail that supports the entire structure.
While the description isn't impressive, Halo is actually extremely reliable. It can withstand pressure up to 12 tons. For illustration, this is the same weight for one and a half buses (depending on the type).
Formula 1 Cars - Driving Elements
You already know the basic building blocks of a car. Now it's time to explore the topic of working components, namely:
- pendants,
- bus
- brakes.
Let's consider each of them separately.
Suspension
In a Formula 1 car, the suspension requirements are somewhat different than those of cars on normal roads. First of all, it is not designed to provide driving comfort. Instead, it is supposed to do:
- the car was predictable
- the work of the tires was appropriate,
- the aerodynamics were top notch (we will talk about aerodynamics later in the article).
In addition, durability is an important feature of the F1 suspension. This is due to the fact that during the movement they are exposed to huge forces that they need to overcome.
There are three main types of suspension components:
- internal (including springs, shock absorbers, stabilizers);
- external (including axles, bearings, wheel supports);
- aerodynamic (rocker arms and steering gear) - they are slightly different from the previous ones, because in addition to the mechanical function they create pressure.
Basically, two materials are used to manufacture the suspension: metal for the internal components and carbon fiber for the external components. In this way, designers increase the durability of everything.
Suspension in F1 is quite a tricky topic, because due to the high risk of breakage, it must meet strict FIA standards. However, we will not dwell on them in detail here.
Tires
We've come to one of the simplest problems in Formula 1 racing - tires. This is a fairly broad topic, even if we only focus on the most important issues.
Take, for example, the 2020 season. The organizers had 5 types of tires for dry and 2 for wet tracks. What is the difference? Well, dry track tires have no tread (their other name is slicks). Depending on the mixture, the manufacturer labels them with symbols from C1 (hardest) to C5 (softest).
Later, the official tire supplier Pirelli will select 5 types from the available pool of 3 compounds, which will be available to the teams during the race. Marks them with the following colors:
- red (soft),
- yellow (medium),
- white (hard).
It is known from physics that the softer the mixture, the better the adhesion. This is especially important when cornering as it allows the driver to move faster. On the other hand, the benefit of a stiffer tire is durability, which means the car doesn't have to go down into the box as quickly.
When it comes to wet tires, the two types of tires available differ primarily in their drainage capacity. They have colors:
- green (with light rain) - consumption up to 30 l / s at 300 km / h;
- blue (for heavy rain) – consumption up to 65 l/s at 300 km/h.
There are also certain requirements for the use of tires. If, for example, a driver advances to the third qualifying round (Q3), he must start on the tires with the best time in the previous round (Q2). Another requirement is that each team must use at least 2 tire compounds per race.
However, these conditions only apply to dry track tires. They do not work when it rains.
Hamulce
At breakneck speeds, braking systems with the right amount of force are also required. How big is it? So much so that pressing the brake pedal causes overloads of up to 5G.
In addition, the cars use carbon brake discs, which is another difference from traditional cars. Discs made of this material are much less durable (enough for about 800 km), but also lighter (weight about 1,2 kg).
Their additional, but no less important feature is 1400 ventilation holes, which are necessary because they remove critical temperatures. When braked by the wheels, they can reach up to 1000 ° C.
Formula 1 - engine and its characteristics
It's time for what the tigers love the most, the Formula 1 engine. Let's see what it consists of and how it works.
Well, for several years now, cars have been powered by 6-liter V1,6 hybrid turbocharged engines. They consist of several main parts:
- internal combustion engine,
- two electric motors (MGU-K and MGU-X),
- turbochargers,
- battery.
How many horses does Formula 1 have?
The displacement is small, but don't be fooled by that. The drive achieves a power of about 1000 hp. The turbocharged internal combustion engine produces 700 hp, with an additional 300 hp. generated by two electrical systems.
All of this is located just behind the monocoque and, in addition to the obvious role of the drive, is also a constructive part. In the sense that mechanics attach the rear suspension, wheels and gearbox to the engine.
The last important element that the power unit could not do without is radiators. There are three of them in the car: two large ones on the sides and one smaller one immediately behind the driver.
Combustion
While the size of a Formula 1 engine is unobtrusive, fuel consumption is another matter entirely. Cars burn around 40 l/100 km these days. For the layman, this figure seems huge, but compared to historical results, it is quite modest. The first Formula 1 cars consumed even 190 l / 100 km!
The decrease in this shameful result is partly due to the development of technology, and partly due to limitations.
FIA rules state that an F1 car can consume a maximum of 145 liters of fuel in one race. An additional curiosity is the fact that from 2020, each car will have two flow meters that monitor the amount of fuel.
Ferrari contributed in part. It is reported that the Formula 1 of this team used gray areas and thus bypassed the restrictions.
Finally, we will mention the fuel tank, because it differs from the standard one. Which? First of all, the material. The manufacturer makes the tank as if he were doing it for the military industry. This is another safety factor as leaks are minimized.
Transmission
The drive topic is closely related to the gearbox. Its technology changed around the same time that F1 started using hybrid engines.
What is typical for him?
This is an 8-speed, semi-automatic and sequential. In addition, it has the highest level of development in the world. The driver changes gears in milliseconds! For comparison, the same operation takes at least a few seconds for the fastest ordinary car owners.
If you are on the subject, you have probably heard the saying that there is no reverse gear in cars. This is true?
No.
Each F1 drive has a reverse gear. Moreover, his presence is required in accordance with FIA rules.
Formula 1 - g-forces and aerodynamics
We've already mentioned brake overloads, but we'll come back to them as the topic of aerodynamics develops.
The main question, which from the very beginning will brighten up the situation a little, is the principle of car assembly. Well, the whole structure works like an inverted airplane wing. In the sense that instead of lifting the car, all the building blocks create downforce. In addition, they, of course, minimize air resistance during movement.
Downforce is a very important parameter in racing because it provides the so-called aerodynamic traction, which makes cornering easier. The larger it is, the faster the driver will pass the turn.
And when does the aerodynamic thrust increase? When the speed increases.
In practice, if you are driving on the gas, it will be easier for you to go around the corner than if you were careful and throttle. It seems counterintuitive, but in most cases it is. At maximum speed, the downforce reaches 2,5 tons, which significantly reduces the risk of skidding and other surprises when cornering.
On the other hand, the aerodynamics of the car has a downside - individual elements create resistance, which slows down (especially on straight sections of the track).
Key aerodynamic design elements
While the designers work hard to keep the entire F1 car in line with basic aerodynamics, some design elements exist only to create downforce. It's about:
- front wing - it is the first in contact with the air flow, so the most important thing. The whole concept starts with him, because he organizes and distributes all resistance among the rest of the machine;
- side elements - they do the hardest work, because they collect and organize chaotic air from the front wheels. They then send them to the cooling inlets and into the back of the car;
- Rear Wing - Collects air jets from earlier elements and uses them to create downforce on the rear axle. In addition (thanks to the DRS system) it reduces drag on straight sections;
- floor and diffuser - designed in such a way as to create pressure with the help of air flowing under the car.
Development of technical thought and overload
Increasingly improved aerodynamics not only increase vehicle performance, but also driver stress. You don't need to be a physics expert to know that the faster a car turns into a corner, the greater the force acting on it.
It's the same with the person sitting in the car.
On the tracks with the steepest bends, the G-forces reach 6G. It's a lot? Imagine if someone presses on your head with a force of 50 kg, and your neck muscles have to cope with it. This is what racers are faced with.
As you can see, overloading cannot be taken lightly.
Change is coming?
There are many signs that a revolution in car aerodynamics will take place in the coming years. From 2022, new technology will appear on F1 tracks using the effect of suction instead of pressure. If that works, the improved aerodynamic design is no longer needed and the vehicles' appearance will change dramatically.
But will it really be so? Time will show.
How much does Formula 1 weigh?
You already know all the most important parts of a car and you probably want to know how much they weigh together. According to the latest regulations, the minimum permitted vehicle weight is 752 kg (including the driver).
Formula 1 - technical data, i.e. summary
Is there a better way to summarize an F1 car article than a selection of the most important technical data? In the end, they make it clear what the machine is capable of.
Here's everything you need to know about an F1 car:
- engine - turbocharged V6 hybrid;
- capacity - 1,6 l;
- engine power - approx. 1000 hp;
- acceleration to 100 km / h - about 1,7 s;
- maximum speed - it depends.
Why “it depends on the circumstances”?
Because in the case of the last parameter, we have two results, which were achieved by Formula 1. The maximum speed in the first was 378 km / h. This record was set in 2016 on a straight line by Valtteri Bottas.
However, there was also another test in which the car, driven by van der Merwe, broke the 400 km / h barrier. Unfortunately, the record was not recognized as it was not achieved in two heats (upwind and upwind).
We summarize the article at the cost of a car, because this is also an interesting curiosity. The miracle of the modern automotive industry (in terms of individual parts) costs just over $ 13 million. However, keep in mind that this is the price excluding the cost of developing technology, and innovation is most worth it.
The amount spent on research reaches many billions of dollars.
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