What is the Formula 1 wind tunnel?
Many have heard its name, but few really know what it is. Through the wind tunnel, the Formula 1 teams can perfectly simulate the air currents that run through the car.
The wind tunnel is an enclosure consisting of a very large and powerful fan, a fairly wide rotating base, a scale model of the real F1 car, and many computers.
Initially, wind tunnels were only used by the aviation industry, but the F1 teams discovered that the use of this resource could also be applied to their cars. Wind tunnels have been used in the premier class of motorsport for fifty years. The Brabham team was the first to do so in 1964.
Why do F1 teams use the wind tunnel?
Formula 1 is a sport in which dozens of engineers spend day and night researching the FIA rules. Seeking the limits is, so to speak, another sport within a sport. Each change can lead to an improvement that makes the car a tenth of a second faster.
This is where the difference between winning or losing is made, between being eighth or ninth and, in short, it also translates into many millions of euros in prizes. Simulation data is used to find the best combination of downforce and speed or to see if an idea or upgrade really works.
The better the aerodynamics, the more grip the car will have. However, the main goal is to avoid drag on the straights as much as possible while having a lot of grip in the corners.
Every year, the pre-season tests put an end to the winter break. A few years ago, the teams had many more days of testing before reaching the first race, but this has been reduced, reaching only six days of testing for this 2022 despite the start of a new radically different regulation compared to 2021 .
Beyond that, each team has two promotional days, called filming days, during which they can only drive 100km on demo tyres. In general, Formula 1 teams don’t have much time to develop the car on the track, and that’s the main reason they use the wind tunnel.
In this world, each team continually looks at the garage next door. In 2009, for example, the technical regulations were also changed and Brawn GP , together with Toyota and Williams , introduced the double diffuser. Although several teams complained, the FIA gave the green light to the idea and that meant that all those who did not have a double diffuser had to start working on that aspect immediately.
The famous “copy and paste”, unfortunately, is not possible for the teams, because each car is assembled in a different way. Each team had to design and test their own solution. That was carried out the wind tunnel.
How do F1 teams work with a wind tunnel?
Teams place a scale model of the real car on the rotating base in the center of the wind tunnel, turn on the fan, and blow currents of air over it. At Mercedes, for example, the scale model has a central section made of aluminum, so that parts can be changed quickly. They do this for a reason: if Mercedes wants to change and replace a certain area, it won’t affect the other parts of the car.
The parts are manufactured on the computer and printed in 3D. They are usually made of metal. The scale model is packed with sensors so that everything can be measured perfectly. In addition, the height and the angle of rotation are adjustable.
To make the most of the wind tunnel, Aston Martin uses a technique called particle image velosimetry . To do this, the team uses tiny particles called tracers that are camouflaged in the airflow. These particles follow the aerodynamics of the car and are illuminated by lasers and cameras, after which many photos are taken at breakneck speed. In this way, specialists can study the aerodynamics of the car.
Wind tunnel simulations are performed in combination with Computational Fluid Dynamics [ CFD ]. F1 teams use this to predict in a complex way how the airflow will act. In 2010, Virgin Racing developed the aerodynamic design of the VR-01 entirely in CFD, with the clear objective of reducing costs.
Correlation between the wind tunnel and the track in F1
Even if teams were allowed to use the wind tunnel indefinitely, things could go completely wrong on track. Comparing wind tunnel data and real world data is what we call correlation, a word that is often used, especially during pre-season testing, but sometimes in free practice as well.
On some occasions we see single-seaters with aerodynamic grids that contain many sensors, these constantly measure the air flow through the car and through the information they collect they check if the simulations in the wind tunnel and CFD correspond to reality.
Sometimes you don’t get the expected result, as happened to Red Bull in 2020. The performance of the RB16 on the track did not match what the simulator indicated and the team needed a lot of time and work to solve the problems. Something similar also happened to Ferrari in that season.
F1 has strict rules to measure the use of the wind tunnel
Keeping a wind tunnel running comes at a fairly high cost for F1 teams. They are constantly looking for improvements and prefer to keep you active night and day. To avoid that, the use of the wind tunnel is subject to various rules, drawn up by the FIA. For example, each team can only use one wind tunnel, except in case of technical failure.
The scale model must not be greater than 60% of the original car. Teams can use two different models, but they can only be changed after 24 hours. The speed of the wind tunnel may not exceed 180 km/h. A much slower speed compared to the speed of real F1.
From 2021, there is also a limit to the amount of time each team can spend in the wind tunnel, which varies depending on your position in the constructors’ championship. The team with the lowest position can work 22.5% longer than the one that finished first. For this 2022, the FIA has become even stricter, as this percentage has now been increased to 45%. For that reason, it is essential to work as efficiently as possible.
Do all F1 teams have their own wind tunnel?
Mercedes, Red Bull, Ferrari , Alpine, Williams, Alfa Romeo and Aston Martin each have their own wind tunnel. McLaren uses Toyota’s wind tunnel in Cologne, but is already building a new wind tunnel at its own Technology Center. AlphaTauri transferred everything to its ‘big brother’ Red Bull facility last season, while Haas has taken advantage of its association with Ferrari.
