View Full Version : The idiotic shark fin
cameraman
11-02-10, 04:30 PM
Did the powers that be ever explain why on earth they mandated the shark fin on the LMPs?
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii35/Cynops/PEUGEOT-90Xc.jpg
I can't see how a sheet of carbon fibre plywood bolted on the back of the car will actually accomplish anything other than looking absolutely idiotic.:yuck:
The rear tire changers sure are not going to like it:saywhat:
cameraman
11-02-10, 04:48 PM
It isn't any better on the lmp2. At least the guys at Riley are used to the ugly after building all those prototurtles.
http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii35/Cynops/RileyLMP2.jpg
Methanolandbrats
11-02-10, 05:16 PM
That is horrible. The teams should band together and refuse to run it. What is the governing body gonna do, shut down the series? Makes me wanna puke.
F1 told them it was cool.
Since it's supposed to increase the efficiency of the rear wing and provide more downforce, are they taking something away? Smaller rear wing?
Methanolandbrats
11-02-10, 05:34 PM
I thought the excuse was safety, it helped them not do flips n' ****.
Stability appears to be the reasoning behind it.
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/87813
Need the engineers - and engineer wannabes - to chime in. How does it work?
Need the engineers - and engineer wannabes - to chime in. How does it work?
magnets.
Looks like the Delta Wang.
chop456
11-03-10, 01:06 AM
I thought the excuse was safety, it helped them not do flips n' ****.
Correct.
Michaelhatesfans
11-03-10, 01:47 AM
F'kn clear plexiglass. There, I fixed it.
magnets.
How do they work?
Correct.
Seconded. Or thirded perhaps.
Mandate flat bottoms, cars are too reliant on top aero, add shark fin to lessen the likelihood of race cars performing aerial acrobatics.
F'kn clear plexiglass. There, I fixed it.
Nice idea but as soon as they put decals on it will look even weirder.
I've been thinking that some team would make the fin out of LCD flat panel displays and run a program of associate sponsorship logos on it.
I saw LCD T shirts at the NCAA Final Four in Atlanta. They were being used to advertise something. Obviously not to effective when you can only recall the media, not the product.
Remember the LED inserts in the Newman Haas wheels?
No one even going to guess why changing the airflow at the back of the car, prevents air from getting underneath the front of the car?
In F1 the idea behind the shark fin is to separate the air flow on the left and right sides of the car. By preventing the air from flowing behind the intake/roll hoop and getting churned up, the shark fin reduces the turbulence in the air flowing over the rear wing. Smooth air is more dense than turbulent mixed up air and provides more downforce as it crosses the rear wing.
Increasing rear downforce to pin the back of the car to the track might help prevent incidents that lead to lift off, but wouldn't directly help or hurt.
What we've seen is the cars tend to lift off when they get sideways. If the rear stepped out, the large sail area of the shark fin would act to stabilize the car, by applying a reaction force to push the rear back in line. In this way it would function exactly like the tail of an airplane.
Knew there was at least one smart guy on here. Thanks.
Guess the car would be much easier to drive if the rear end is less likely to swap out. (Been there, done that.)
That makes too much sense. I figured it was just a billboard.
cameraman
11-06-10, 10:27 PM
I've been watching F1 cars spinning out all season, I don't see the fin being all that effective.
rosawendel
11-07-10, 09:10 AM
i figured it worked along the lines of the taxicab sunroof in case the car got sideways at speed.
man, i'm learning all kinds of stuff this morning...
Steve99
11-08-10, 03:05 PM
I've been watching F1 cars spinning out all season, I don't see the fin being all that effective.
For the LMPs, I don't think it prevents the cars from getting sideways, but once the car is sideways it changes the airflow over the top of the car so that the sidepod/fender area doesn't generate lift and flip the car.
Michaelhatesfans
11-09-10, 01:22 AM
Nice idea but as soon as they put decals on it will look even weirder.
I've been thinking that some team would make the fin out of LCD flat panel displays and run a program of associate sponsorship logos on it.
Porn, then.
BarillaGirl
11-09-10, 10:05 AM
No one even going to guess why changing the airflow at the back of the car, prevents air from getting underneath the front of the car?
It only works in hindsight. ;)
Somehow, this looks less crappy than some of the others:
http://i51.tinypic.com/1zqzmgg.jpg
ORECA 03 “The Best LMP2 In The Field” (http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/2010/09/david-floury-oreca-03-the-best-lmp2-in-the-field/)
extramundane
11-09-10, 10:59 AM
Look at the bright side: the way things are going now, between the lack of LMP interest stateside and the godawful broadcast picture that seems to be shaping up, you won't have to worry about actually seeing too many fins. :\
cameraman
11-09-10, 02:28 PM
A little good news is next year's Road America race will be a 4 hour race.:\
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