Thoughts on 2009 cars

I've been strangely energetic today with setting up some files for my guesses at the '09 characteristics of the cars. I'm experimenting with increasing tyre grip and decreasing driver ability to make the cars less stable in high speed turns and more stable in the tight ones. I've also shifted the balance a few notches toward the rear as this seems the best way to represent the weight of KERS units.
This is obviously a very first try at it and I'll be able to fine tune when the new cars get on the tracks in January. Any other ideas would be welcome, especially the matter of air disturbance that could be a bit less with the new front wings. I suspect that's a magic data item.

Nico bites yer tyres!

in the md there is a supposed 'air resistance', if this air disturbance has something to do with it, and a sort of 'slipstream factor' to play with.
i've seen a photo of a supposed bmw and new cars are abscene, i already miss all those wings and apendix

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/11/2008 10:51PM by R_Scandura.

Components (gearbox for instance) are so light nowadays that teams can play around with weight distribution (ballast) as they need. Bridgestone tyres are known for requiring more weight on the front track and it is believed that a forward weight bias is often used. So, 50-50 is the best option I think. As of KERS, weight figures aren't clear but Ferrari's was quoted as weighting as low as 7-8 kg's, which can be neutralized by ballast positioning.

The aero balance is now shifted towards the front of the car due to the low and very wide front wing. It means a high front wing setting will make the car oversteer a lot, in a way it serves the purpose of balancing the aero of the car rather than giving you massive front-end grip. I've read some numbers somewhere, I'll try and post them.

"Air resistance", as far as I know, affects drag only. I'm not sure about the slipstream factor. However, the loss of downforce when in the wake of a car is very low in GP3 when compared to the real thing (2008 and previous seasons). I wouldn't bother editing this.

Tyres... I'd increase slip angle and grip in accordance with the front/rear contact patches (total tyre widths are 355 and 380mm respectively).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/2008 12:31AM by SuperSonic.

Yeah, I always look at air resistance as really being air efficiency as the higher the setting the quicker the cars slip through the air. There's this note 'subtracted from diff between field_e2 of 2 cars and then compared to speed of first car' which seems to do something related to how close one car is following another. Probably its just the 'tow' effect but something makes the cars lose traction if too close on a fast turn. Its very realistic to recent years with the high front wings getting into the turbulence. Would be great to find out how to tweak it a bit.
From what I read, it seems that most teams are suffering with front end grip and some are saying there is not enough ballast left to correct it easily. I thought the original KERS designs were estimated at about 30 to 50 kg but I see Adam Parr talking about a fair bit less than that. Still, several cars look like skipping KERS for '09 anyway. Today's changes will mean downing the BHP anyway so I'm inclined to give the KERS cars an extra 5 or so. I see special terms for Renault. Can't have them dropping out.

Nico bites yer tyres!