novellk Chapter 9 shitbox?
Chapter 9 shitbox?
Why do ground effect vehicles sometimes exhibit dolphin-like jumping?
When high-speed airflow passes through the constricted section of the Venturi channel under the car's floor, a strong low-pressure zone is formed under the floor, firmly "sucking" the car to the ground; as the car speed increases, the downforce increases exponentially, and the floor height from the ground continues to decrease.
When the height of the base plate above the ground falls below the critical stall threshold, the airflow in the Venturi channel undergoes boundary layer separation (airflow deceleration), the low-pressure area in the channel collapses instantly, and the downpressure is lost rapidly.
The suspension then rebounds, lifting the car body. Once the ground clearance is restored, the airflow reattaches, downforce is generated again, and the car is pulled back to the ground, thus creating a high-frequency cycle of stall-rebound-stall again.
So how do we solve the dolphin jump problem?
Barcelona's preseason testing will definitely not resolve the issue in the next few days; they may not even be able to come up with a solution to the dolphin jump.
Put that aside for now. The most urgent task is to make good use of these precious few days of testing in Barcelona and collect as much real-vehicle test data as possible.
AT03: Let the drivers suffer, I'll take the blame!
Only cars like the AT03, which don't have particularly severe dolphin jumps, can really tough out the driver. But cars like the W13, which bounce around so much that they can take away a driver's health, are beyond the driver's control no matter how badly they suffer.
The W13's violent dolphin jumps severely affected the car's handling, preventing Mercedes from conducting extreme tests on the W13. This left Mercedes completely unable to grasp the W13's actual potential.
Mercedes: Is it a shitbox, an Earth rover, or a Mars rover? I don't know! I have no idea!
While the intense dolphin jumps of W13 were certainly uncomfortable for Mercedes, the slighter dolphin jumps of RB18 were even more worrying for them.
If we categorize all the cars participating in this preseason test into different levels of dolphin jumps, the Red Bull RB18 and McLaren MCL36 are definitely in the lightest level, having almost no impact on the test.
Ferrari's F1-75 has a moderate dolphin jump, which to some extent affects the testing of the car's ultimate performance, but the high-frequency bumps can be mitigated through tuning.
Mercedes' W13 car is undoubtedly the worst of the worst, and there is absolutely no way to alleviate it through tuning.
It seems that Mercedes has misjudged the situation and is about to repeat the collapse of the Red Bull dynasty.
W13: Don't summarize yet! Don't summarize yet! There's still the winter testing in Bahrain, I think I can still salvage this!
Okay, carry them all back to the hospital, and then carry them back to Bahrain for a short walk.
Tang Che returned to the factory with the team.
Since the simulator and the real car are completely unrelated, does that mean Tang Che doesn't need to run the simulator?
For now.
This doesn't mean that Tanger is off to a rest; he has a new job—helping the team re-simulate the AT03.
In addition, considering that the team may not be able to solve the AT03's dolphin jump problem in a short time, adaptation training for dolphin jump (strengthening the core) should also be put on the agenda.
Tang Che: The life of an F1 driver is just that simple, unpretentious, and boring.
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Bahrain's official preseason test on March 10, 2022.
The sound of gongs and drums (not that loud), the sound of firecrackers (still not that traditional), the sea of people (the public test did attract a lot of attention), and the red flags waving (still persecuting Mercedes-Benz).
Come on, racers from all the teams, take a few steps if you're not sick!
RB18: I'm as steady as a rock now!
So how did you solve the dolphin jump problem?
RB18: A vertical notch and S-shaped profile are designed on the outer edge of the base plate. The front cut generates a vortex to seal the edge of the base plate, and the middle cut limits the excessive extension of the vortex to the tail, avoiding airflow blockage and stall caused by excessive pressure difference at the tail.
The Venturi Tunnel features an arched top design with abrupt bends, which significantly widens the ground clearance window for stable airflow operation, reducing the probability of stall at its source.
The vehicle employs a moderate front-low, rear-high body camber angle to keep the rear of the chassis above the critical stall height. At the same time, the large rearward tilt geometry of the front suspension with tie rods enhances anti-pitch performance and reduces the vehicle's drop on high-speed straightaways.
The design incorporates a comprehensive internal support structure for the chassis, which suppresses chassis bending deformation at high speeds and prevents the ground clearance from unexpectedly falling below the critical value. This eliminates the need to significantly raise the vehicle body to alleviate bouncing throughout the journey.
F1-75: Although I haven't fully recovered to the point of being completely stable, I'm much more at ease now.
State your prescription.
F1-75: A blade-shaped edge strip and a metal support rod are added to the rear edge of the base plate to directly suppress the downward bending of the rear edge of the base plate and avoid channel blockage and stalling caused by excessive sealing of the tail airflow.
Modify the front edge and edge contour of the base plate, add tongue-shaped cuts and protrusions to optimize the airflow state at the venturi channel inlet; add slots to the rear edge of the base plate to provide a pressure relief channel for the critical airflow and slow down the airflow loss.
It incorporates Aston Martin's pioneering "bib wing" design, which optimizes airflow distribution at the leading edge of the floor and further widens the stable working window of the Venturi channel.
W13: I understand the logic, but why am I still so energetic?
Mercedes: Stop frying, I'm grilling.
Despite strengthening the chassis rigidity, stiffening the suspension, and raising the body, Mercedes still couldn't solve the W13's dolphin jump problem.
It seems we can draw a conclusion now: Mercedes-Benz got the question wrong.
W13: Three stops east of the river, three stops west of the river, don't underestimate a new car's poverty!
I get it. I'll come back to see you again after the mid-season upgrade.
AT03: Master, why are you only staring at the cars in the big convoy? Am I hopeless?
In this world, you need influence and connections. What kind of gang are you from?
AT03: I'm from the Alfa Romeo team. You can call me Toro Racing if you like.
It turns out to be Shitbox.
AT03: Master, why are you still criticizing cars?
Do you have substantial funds?
AT03: None.
Do you have a strong R&D team?
AT03: None.
What do you have?
AT03: I have Red Bull Daddy.
Can you use Red Bull's technology?
AT03: Cannot be used, FIA does not allow it.
That's hopeless, you can go play somewhere else.
AT03: No way, Master! I think I can still be saved! Look, I optimized the aerodynamic design, adjusted the suspension structure, and strengthened the chassis rigidity, which alleviated the problem, didn't it? On the first day of testing, Tang Che even set the fastest lap in me! I'm not a shitbox, Master!
My friend, our fate has run its course. You should go and fight with Tang Che.
Tang Che: Why do I suddenly have a bad feeling?
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There's no time to worry about the technical challenges of the winter testing in Bahrain; the next thing to rush to is the opening race of the 2022 F1 season in Bahrain!
The Bahrain circuit has a lap length of 5.412km, with full throttle accounting for about 65% of the time. There are 8 high-intensity braking zones per lap, accounting for 17% of the braking time. The 15 corners are mainly low-to-medium speed corners, with only corners 12 and 13 being high-speed corners. All 3 DRS zones connect long straights with heavy braking at the end of low-speed corners, placing extremely high demands on the cars' cornering traction and braking anti-pitch performance.
The characteristics of the track dictate that car setup must find a balance between low drag (in exchange for higher straight-line speeds) and braking stability (to adapt to a large number of low-to-medium speed corners).
Because the simulator was unusable, the Alphard team could only fine-tune their cars by driving them on the track for real-world testing. This meant that the practice sessions for this race were crucial for both Tontaff and Gasly.
Yes, it's just more important because the previous winter testing in Bahrain was conducted on this track, so before this race week started, Townche and Gasly already had a better understanding of the car setup.
During the first practice session, Tang Che did not participate, and instead handed the race car over to Kakuta to drive.
It wasn't that Tang Che was overconfident or that Honda was putting in a lot of effort; it was simply because the first practice session wasn't very valuable.
Those who frequently drive in Formula 1 know that track temperature has a significant impact on car setup. The Bahrain circuit is a desert track with large temperature differences between day and night, so setups made on the track during the day will not be effective at night.
一练在3月18日下午15点到16点之间，排位赛在3月19日18点到19点之间，正赛在3月20日18点发车。
There won't be any significant weather changes this weekend; the track temperature will be roughly the same during qualifying and the race. However, the track temperature during practice sessions will be quite different from that during qualifying and the race.
Car setup is for qualifying and the race. The track conditions in practice sessions are not very useful for car setup. Tontatta can be handed over to reserve drivers to fill in.
Yutetsu was able to give up his position to Kakuta because the relationship between Yutetsu and Kakuta had improved.
After being utterly crushed by Yutetsu on the simulator during the winter break, Kakuta started calling Yutetsu "senpai" all the time.
Kakuta: Although I am older than Mr. Tang and have run more races than him, Mr. Tang was someone who was favored by Red Bull earlier than me, so it is not shameful for me to call him my senior.
Kakuta calls Yutetsu "senpai" (senior) and often comes to Yutetsu to ask for advice. How could Yutetsu not teach him a few tricks? The more they call each other "senpai," the deeper their friendship naturally becomes. So, in a pointless practice match like today, Yutetsu has a reason to let Kakuta play in his place.
From a conspiracy theory perspective, Kakuta's act of calling Yutetsu "senpai" is quite shrewd, unlike something a taciturn person like Kakuta would do. There must be a mastermind behind it.
Tanger: I won't stay with the Alfa Romeo team for long, no matter if there are powerful figures behind them, as long as they behave themselves during my time here.
The second practice session, held between 6 PM and 7 PM on March 18th, was extremely valuable for car tuning. Tang Che personally drove the car onto the track and, combining the experience gained during the winter testing, adjusted the car settings little by little.
"The drag on the straightaway could be lower, and the angle of attack of the tail fin's main plane and flaps could be lower."
"The traction out of the corner could be even higher; let's adjust the differential locking strategy."
……
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On March 19, 2022, the FIA officially released its final investigation report on the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix before the qualifying session: it acknowledged that race director Massi had made "human error" and failed to properly apply the race rules; and confirmed that the results of the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and the overall drivers' championship were final and unchangeable.
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#2022 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix Qualifying Commentary (Five-Star Sports)#
"This race week should be a very happy one for all Chinese fans, as we have two Chinese drivers active in the paddock."
"This Bahrain Grand Prix is Zhou Guanyu's F1 debut and also Townche's F1 debut as a full-time driver. I hope that both drivers can bring a good performance to the Chinese fans who are watching the race."
……
"Gasli of the Alfa Romeo team will be the first to pit... During winter testing, there were many reports indicating that Alfa Romeo's AT03 had many problems, and its performance may not have been satisfactory."
"There are many misleading reports during the winter testing period. The truth will only be revealed on the field."
"One thing is certain: the AT03 is definitely not a top-tier race car like the RB16B. It remains to be seen whether Tom can achieve impressive results driving a less-than-ideal car."
"The camera is now focused on Tom Che, who is sitting in car number 49 and preparing to enter the arena. We can see that Tom's white helmet has a unique gold-painted pattern, which is a phoenix and flower pattern from the Chu culture of pre-Qin China. Tom has always been committed to showcasing Chinese culture to the paddock."
"Little Thompson is out of the station... Okay, let's focus on today's Q1. Little Thompson will warm up the tires first. Gasly will start with his flight laps."
"Most teams probably aren't confident they can make it into Q2. Except for Red Bull and Ferrari, who are definitely confident they'll make it, the other teams are probably uncertain. So most teams will have to give it their all in Q1."
"Little Tom is starting to do flying laps... his entry points into corners are incredibly precise! It's been two hours since the third practice session, and there's actually some dust and sand on the track, making it very slippery for the first few cars to come out. Under these grip conditions, Little Tom is still maintaining his precision, which is what we call visible talent."
「加斯利冲线……1:33.016……来看看小汤的第一圈……1:32.507，比加斯利是快了0.5秒！」
……
"Now, take a look... This is Zhou Guanyu, he hasn't left yet. The license plate number is 24, which is to pay tribute to Kobe. Kobe is also an idol for many young people."
……
"Tang Che's second lap... 1:32.002, improved by 0.5 seconds, still ahead of Gasly, currently ranked 4th in the field! Zhou Guanyu also completed his first lap... 1:32.786, currently ranked 11th in the field."
……
"Tang Che has secured Q2, while Zhou Guanyu has fallen into the elimination zone and will need to work harder to advance... Let's look at Zhou Guanyu's third lap in Q1... 1:32.493, beautiful! Successfully advanced to Q2!"
……
"Alfa Romeo's Gasly once again set the first lap time in Q2 for Alfa Romeo... 1:32.011, a new personal best."
"Thompson's lap time... 1:31.510, another 0.5 seconds faster than Gasly. If this is Tom precisely controlling the gap, then it's terrifying!"
……
「汤彻是比较轻鬆的锁定了Q3；加斯利在最后一刻做出1:31.635，刷新个人最好成绩的同时上到全场第十，惊险晋级Q3；周冠宇遗憾未能完成Q2的第三个飞行圈，止步Q2。」
……
"Gasley should do the flight lap first... 1:32.011, much slower than Q2!"
"Little Tom starts doing flight laps, let's see if he's 0.5 seconds faster than Gasly again (laughs)... 1:31.326, only 0.3 seconds faster than Gasly's fastest lap in Q2, it seems Little Tom isn't deliberately controlling the gap (laughs)."
"Looking at it now, the AT03's performance shouldn't be too bad; at the very least, it should be a mid-tier race car that can consistently score points."
……
"Three quick breaks! 1:31.253! Tang Che breaks his personal best in the final moments! Moving up to sixth place overall!"
"The starting grid for tomorrow's race is Hamilton ahead of Tom, which is almost exactly the same as the last four laps of last year's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Perhaps we can expect Tom to create a miracle tomorrow like he did in Abu Dhabi."