In recent weeks, drivers have been concerned about the health consequences of breathing carbon dust throughout the weekend, with Sebastian Vettel admitting that he got out of the car with black particles on his face.
The veteran German driver said this problem, which is not new, has been made worse this season due to the new arrangement of the brake lines, as they are now not only exposed to brake dust generated by the car in front, but also to the dust created by his own car.
“This year’s brake duct design, along with the front axle, is blowing all the brake dust into our faces and it’s not good,” he said.
Regarding the design of the brake duct, the regulations were restructured this year, with the aim of limiting the aerodynamic current that was previously generated through the wheels and that harmed the car behind.
As a consequence, the introduction of a mandatory rear-facing outlet was intended to keep the airflow centralized. However, this seems to have triggered negative consequences regarding the carbon dust that comes out of the brakes.
Under the previous technical regulation, teams were not only extracting airflow, but also heat and brake dust through the wheel.
Inevitably, this freedom caused the teams to find solutions through which they gained advantages from an aerodynamic perspective, creating complex designs and solutions such as the blown axle.
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The new technical regulations for Formula 1 in 2022 have been written in such a way that its intention is maintained, which is none other than to reduce the outwash effect.
Tires and casing are supplied as standard, with the outer drum created so that airflow can only enter or exit through the front and rear blades.
There is still some leeway in the regulations for teams to more creatively interpret how they manage heat and airflow within the brake drum, giving the option of using a fairing that encloses the brake disc, as can be seen. see on the Red Bull RB18.
Red Bull RB18 brake drum detail
The shape, size and position of the air intakes are explained in the regulations, but there is room for interpretation.
However, the rear air intake could be a technical aspect that the FIA will have to review in the coming weeks to change the path of carbon dust from the brakes, as at the moment the teams may have too much room for maneuver in this appearance.
It should also be remembered that the diameter of the brake discs has increased significantly in 2022, going from a maximum of 278mm to between 325mm and 330mm , so in theory the brakes now extract more carbon dust.
Additionally, the diameter of the cooling holes through the brake rotor must now be at least 3mm , which also has a dramatic effect on the number and design of these.
Also very important, the regulations clarify that the teams cannot make cooling holes directly in the brake pads.
The sum of all these factors means that there may be times when the brake dust that is generated is even greater due to these changes that are born as a result of the still design freedoms that the teams have.
Therefore, in the upcoming meetings, brake disc and duct designs will be in the spotlight, as the goal will be to find an optimal solution which in turn does not ruin the reasons why the air does not flow. eject directly from the car.
In the long term, it is not ruled out that the FIA could even consider a more radical solution, such as a change of material for the discs, but at this point in the season, this seems complicated to say the least.
Brake disc dimension 2022
