I think the trailing aero disturbance will be relatively small. Low drag comes from low aero effect in general, the idea is to cut a small hole in the air. As to the arrow shape and pointy nose, I still worry a bit about something brought up earlier re the driver putting the nose into a narrow space he can sees it will fit through and in the heat of the moment forgetting that the rest of the car can't follow. :eek6: F1? Nope, doesn't fit the rule book. It doesn't fit the rules for any of the Le Mans categories either and therefore wouldn't normally be allowed. It's only being allowed to run outside the classes as an experiment. I laughed when I heard the big guy from Highcroft trying to explain what that means. He said something like "even if we beat everyone else we won't technically win the race." Do you call that an optimistic perspective or is there a better word for it?
True enough, the start of the hole punched in the air is very small, relatively speaking, but the back of the car is wide - that's how wide the hole will be when all's said and done, not the tiny front. My thinking is laminar flow, the air will follow the sides and top of the shape, but when it comes off the back what's it going to do? Tumble about like what comes off the back of a MINI rear window, or will it slide off smoothly? I'm sure the brain turst has already looked at this thoroughly and already know the answers - it may be a non-issue, or it could be their ace-in-the-hole, no one will be able to get within 100 feet of the back of them without getting blown off the track! That's the airflow I'm wondering about, and how it will affect cars coming up from behind. And I also think he's delusional if he thinks they'll even finish the race, let alone win. There's more than just mechanical reliability here, it also takes a good bit of luck and good weather. How many times has it rained at LeMans? Every race so far? Look at all the extremely well funded teams that came to LeMans with multiple cars, crackerjack team lineups and drivers and every expectation to win who didn't even last the first few hours. Stuff happens at LeMans, they'll be very lucky to finish even half the race first time out, IMHO. It will certainly be a learning experience, all the way around.
I'm sure they'll learn whether it has that kind of turning problem before they ship it. If it won't turn at respectable speed they'll drop off the start list.
I thought they were going to run it in the LeMons race... I was wondering how they were gonna get around the $500 total purchase cost regulation.
Exactly, but they will pull before the race ever starts due to some alleged technical problem on board...lol They are testing this thing as if it's an aircraft....put it on a skidpad at least and see what it does when pushed:sly:...hard for petes sake. If it SPINS out, great!!
I'm also skeptical, but hoping it will make a decent showing. I love seeing people take risks with a fresh, unconventional approach in any field. I don't understand the amount of ridiculing that's been expressed. This car won't be competitive to run with the leaders but I doubt it will be the dumb idea FAIL being predicted. The people behind it have a lot of experience and they know what they are getting into. Heck, Dan Gurney even won the Le Mans.
Tis a shame Dan Gurney's name will be forever linked to this.... Not ridicule really just extreme skepticism. So much press, so much money and so little actual anything other than a car going around a corner at a very slow speed for a race car. Everything about the way they have and are going about this, reaks of a scam....:sly: I love creativity and innovation as much or more than anybody but this has been going on for awhile now and other than a ton of gameboy simulations of it going around tracks and this, until very recently, a barely running prop.... It leaves one asking; "where's the beef?"
As skeptical as I am based on my admittedly conventional wisdom thinking I'm really hoping conventional wisdom is wrong this time and the thing flies. If it works well I'll be cheering it on, and it might not be hard to follow along given the coverage it may get if it stays on the track as anything other than a mobile chicane. I'll be even more excited to watch what happens, if anything, re evolution of other cars and series' if the design proves itself. I'd LOVE to see something come along and overturn the apple cart for established series', esp. those that are heading down narrowing technological paths that increasingly restrict innovation...like F1 for example. I think many of us who have fingers crossed that this thing will work are also psychologically predisposed to show our skepticism up front so we won't feel like such fools if it fails later. Thus attitudes like mine, skeptical but hopeful. Hedging the bet.
Personally, I don't get all the consternation on the topic. It either works, or it doesn't. To be so emotionally vested in something that one has no stake in is beyond my understanding. I guess on this one I'm nothing more than a curious bystander.
I just can't get over the fact that it looks like a rail dragster running on a road course. My brain tells me it shouldn't work..... However, my brain has failed me in the past......
In the grand scheme of things none of this stuff means anything now does it? But for some of us the speculation can be entertaining and a diversion from the problems of the day... But like watching TV, if ya don't like the show, turn the channel... Lol
I guess. But then, I also don't get the fanatical team fans regardless of the sport. I work with a guy who's a big Laker fan. Constantly refers to them as "his" Lakers. I just don't understand that. He might be "their" fan, but they sure as hell are not "his" Lakers. They don't send him money to watch their games. As a matter of fact, they charge him to watch those games. If anything they are Jerry Buss' Lakers. /rant.
Definitely NOT a new concept... [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQh56geU0X8]Rolling a Reliant Robin - Top Gear - BBC - YouTube[/ame]
Well, I'm firmly in the Missouri camp on this one..... (Too obtuse? Missouri is the 'show me" state) The issue for me isn't the overall design, like others said, either it will work or it won't. But everyone's on about what a stellar team there is behind it, and if so - they also know you don't go to Lemans with an untested car and think you're gonna run the distance, let alone win. Far as I know this thing hasn't done 10 miles of track time yet. How many full 24 hour runs did Audi do before they went to LeMans the first time? Many, many, many...... This team is woefully unprepared, and with the quality of the backing, they should know better. The fact that they don't seem to care bothers me. This thing shouldn't even be on the LeMans track till NEXT year, with a full year's track testing under it's belt.....and the fact that it hasn't makes it seem a lot like a Moeller Skycar to me. All about the benjamins...... I stand completely ready with fork in hand to eat whatever sized serving of crow is appropriate if/when the time comes.......only a few more months now till the questions get answered, one way or another..... If they would even run a few laps at Sebring - at race pace - it would go a long way to quieting some of the criticism, assuming it HAS race pace that is.