The address that follow the regulations of sport in the field of aerodynamics is one of the big questions that faces every category of motor racing today. The compromise between the pursuit of development which leads to single-seaters increasingly fast into a curve, creating a challenge for the pilot and encourage overtaking, without forgetting the aesthetic factor, it monopolizes meetings, conversations, criticisms and reviews. The latter is one of the most authoritative voices in the world of racing, Mario Andretti.
The new rules of Formula 1, introduced last year, was intended to create the cars fastest of the story, releasing almost completely the aerodynamic development of the same. Although this philosophy is also followed by a reason aesthetic, endowing the car look more aggressive, the increased incidence of aerodynamics has been derived in a considerable reduction of the overtaking moves on the track, as well as in a greater difficulty to chase the car in front, even with DRS.
In statements to Motorsport.com, Andretti believes that the turbulence is the great enemy: “I have given you more mechanical grip with wider tires, that has made them to have more weight and create more turbulence. With ailerons larger, the braking distances are reduced even more, which eliminates almost any option of advance”, points out the champion of 1978, who considered that the contribution of the DRS does not compensate for these effects. “is needed Now more than ever, but even with this you have to be able to be stuck coming out of the curve, and you can’t use until you’re in the straight”.
The former american pilot, 78-year-old, champion of Formula 1 and four-time champion of the IndyCar, is one of the most influential figures in the paddock this last category, where once in a when you return to the 300 miles per hour on a two-seater. This year, the IndyCar series has premiered an extensive modification on your car, the Dallara DW12, to significantly reduce the downforce of the car is generated by wings with the aim of improving the quality of racing and the look of the car, at the expense of one or two seconds per lap. This concept premiered with rave reviews at the first race of the season in St. Petersburg.
Andretti has not been able to avoid noticing the important differences that the two categories exhibit in this aspect, and considers that the IndyCar series has done a much more competent to regulate the aerodynamics, to get rid of the aerokits and its multiple elements: “Have reduced the aerodynamics of the car, which still gives them a good load with the ground effect because it generates no turbulence, but with the ailerons small, you can still pursue the fore-and-forward”, says Andretti.
in Addition, Andretti appreciates positively the new look of the car, similar to those of the golden age of the category in the years 90, as well as moving away from a philosophy of design that bordered on limits with the prototypes of resistance, and he believes that Formula 1 has missed an opportunity in that aspect: “I Think that the category has done a great job (…) returning to a car look more pure, it is something that all fans of the cars they wanted to see. Unfortunately, the cars of last year began to appear prototypes, with those wings and all that shit (sic) they carried. Personally, I think that this is where the Formula 1 has been wrong”.
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