April 17th, 2008 at 9:03 pm

I have good eyes and I recognize one of my ideas when I see it…

I’m not sure at all, only to ask if I want a half a million or one million $; just because the Idea have been developed in another team which I suggested 2 or 3 seasons before.

It was in 2006 when I had a great interest to understand why golf balls had dots all over their structure. I found why they have such dimples, and it’s well explained in Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golf_ball#Trick_Balls, read aerodynamics topic). My idea wasn’t bad right? A dotted golf ball on its surface goes further than a ball without dots, this means they fly better and are provided from better aerodynamic.

It was then, when I thought this could make revolution in a F1 car aerodynamics! But without any way to test it with computer technologies or make it work… I just sent an e-mail to Williams F! Team with some information, and I never received an answer.
The idea was about to use a proper part from the car bodywork dimpled, so the airflow will accelerate and put less resistance to advance, and go further faster. What I proposed in Williams that time was a little bit crazy thing, the idea of a F1 car airflow is to try to control it and bring the air to certain parts of bodywork to create drag, negative lift effect. With a dotted surface, the airflow could go everywhere else but not to the wings and winglets! So, all I wanted to say to Williams engineers is: “may this idea work? If this is a real development make me know about”. As I said, nothing proved me this is being tested until last pictures from Barcelona’s tests.

http://www.f1-live.com/f1/photos/2008/tests88/diapo_110.jpg

http://www.formula1.com/photos/597×478/manual/deh0816ap64.jpg

http://www.formula1.com/photos/597×478/manual/deh0817ap26.jpg

http://www.f1-live.com/f1/photos/2008/tests88/diapo_113.jpg

This may be curious that two teams begin to test such idea, BMW and McLaren used it in completely different places. Rear wing assembly and front hubcaps, of course this doesn’t look like a golf ball!! But the essentials are the same, to create a turbulence doing a less resistant surface to the airflow advance. This could be this strange gypsum marks which we notice over the hubcaps from the McLaren last test day. And the wing from BMW I just noticed over this week, that it’s the first team using such line channeled surface on their flaps.

I don’t want to feel divine HAHA!! I know it’s a coincidence, it’s not my idea maybe, it’s just a good group from engineers are developing theirs. Just if Williams had such technology nowadays, maybe I would feel it Anyway, I’m hoping to see such developments at the tests on next race. Pity that I’m not an engineer that dedicates his life to races… I would adore such work

If somebody doesn’t understand at all, read more about golf ball aerodynamics here, it’s a bit childish: http://wings.avkids.com/Book/Sports/instructor/golf-01.html

April 17th, 2008 at 11:39 pm

Why is Schumacher testing for Ferrari instead of Raikkonen or Massa? sorry if this is an obvious question.

Shaun’s last blog post..Biaggi and Bayliss to test the ailing Ducati GP8?

April 18th, 2008 at 12:09 am

Yes, the question still remains around Mclaren. Hard to figure and I can’t see them being a winning force next week.

April 19th, 2008 at 4:13 pm

Intresting it seems but you cant conclude who is the fastest looking at testing.

fas’s last blog post..R1 vs GSX-R 1000