Technical Analysis: WRC Cars 2017

[dimviii]

The right and left coolers have small inlets /outlets. Not large enough for an intercooler. The center end tank is sufficient for an intercooler. I'll try to find a better image.

yes you are right,with the photo Nick posted its clear.The pipe from behind the engine is going to center and not to the right.

[SubaruNorway]

You always talk about the drivers side as left btw guys

[itix]

yes you are right,with the photo Nick posted its clear.The pipe from behind the engine is going to center and not to the right.

I agree that the big "vacuum cleaner" pipe in the center is the intercooler pipe, but what has been suggested is that the separating black "strips" divides the radiator into three.

While that could be, there are also two separate end tanks lengthwise on the car and the coolant pipes are definitely connected to the rearmost radiator (as it goes into the rearmost end tank)...

So if the front radiator is indeed three pieces, we are looking at 3 total very large radiators in addition to the intercooler (which is puzzling), or two separate end tanks on the same, very big, and very complicated cooling radiator with a "slot" in the middle for the intercooler (which also makes very little sense).

I may be wrong but I thought the entire front radiator was an intercooler (including the sections on either side of the "dividers")

Edit: now that I look at it more carefully, it actually looks like the pipes enter on the back of the end tanks so I'm likely wrong. What is funny is that the pipes entering to the right and left look the same size, so if they are indeed both cooling pipes, how does the water flow to the other side? (unless it really is a mega complicated radiator with a slot in it). Interesting set up for sure.

[SubaruNorway]

Maybe it's made like this so that they can block one of the radiators off if one breaks?

[itix]

Meanwhile the Citroen setup is classic PSA motorsports setup. Cooling radiator on one side, intercooler on the other side.

[Sulland]

How many attachment points does the back wing of the Ford have?
2 x falloff gives MSport a challenge to improve !

[itix]

How many attachment points does the back wing of the Ford have?
2 x falloff gives MSport a challenge to improve !

From the videos and photos it looks like the legs sheared off..

[ToughMac]

Could it be a material problem in that it just suffers fatigue with all the jumps and bumps?

[NickRally]

The reasons for the failure would be any one of these:
1. Design does not account for ultimate loads encountered in service.
2. As above but in respect to fatigue loads.
3. Material batch problem.
4. Manufacturing issue not caught up by the inspection department.
5. Assembly issue.

[mknight]

Cracks in Carbon fiber are very hard to discover no? Also much more prone to sharp impact damage.