Force India's downforce problem

[keysersoze]

Downforce question:

A recent report reveals that the drivers agreed that the car needs a bit more downforce.

I am not an engineer so please don't bash my obvious lack of knowledge, but doesn't their car's narrow, pointy, parallel-to-the-track nose lend itself to less downforce?

Doesn't a wide nose, like BMW's and Renault's, produce downforce? BMW even has a lip running along the outer edge of the nose that seems to channel air flow directly over the nose (and perhaps add some stability).

Doesn't a nose that turns somewhat downward, like McLaren's and Brawn's, also produce more downforce than one that is parallel to the track?

[UltimateDanGTR]

Im no technical expert, But I would say your right. Seems to me like a blatant Force India error, hope they work it out.

Downforce question:

A recent report reveals that the drivers agreed that the car needs a bit more downforce.

I am not an engineer so please don't bash my obvious lack of knowledge, but doesn't their car's narrow, pointy, parallel-to-the-track nose lend itself to less downforce?

Doesn't a wide nose, like BMW's and Renault's, produce downforce? BMW even has a lip running along the outer edge of the nose that seems to channel air flow directly over the nose (and perhaps add some stability).

Doesn't a nose that turns somewhat downward, like McLaren's and Brawn's, also produce more downforce than one that is parallel to the track?

The nose doesn't produce any usable downforce....its main job is to channel the air as cleanly as possible to the parts of the car that do with the least resistance/best balance.

A narrow nose improves frontal area issues by minimising that area, but it can lead to stabilization problems, which is more than likely what is disturbing the creation of downforce.

A wider nose gives a more stable effect, but at a cost of frontal area drag, which is the biggest drag creator as it's what hits the air first.

Renault's R25 & R26 both had narrow front noses, as did the MP4/22 & 23. It's not the nose that is the problem, it's what happens around it and how the air is worked over the rest of the car that is the main concern.

[woody2goody]

Red Bull, Toyota and STR also have narrow noses, and they are very competitive, well, at least Toyota will be.