Red Bull Racing using Thermoplastic Floors?

[OverTake.gg]

Howard Choularton submitted a new blog post:

Red Bull Racing using Thermoplastic Floors?

The Dutch Formula 1 magazine recently discussed thermoplastic floors being used on the RB9 of Red Bull Racing. For me this raises the question whether or not Red Bull Racing are using an illegal flexible floor.

Thermoplastics are plastics that are tough, but above a certain temperature get weak and then distort. By adding carbon fibre wires to strengthen in the distortion you would be able to integrate programming without anyone touching it.

Philip Palmer, then a student at the TU...

Continue reading the Original Blog Post

 

[Karl Raudsepp]

Yes yes. RBR is using TC, whole car is flexible and also drivers are bloody cheaters...

 

[Helmut Skrdla]

Interesting topic, thanks for the news, but maybe this article should have been edited and proof-read before publishing. Bad grammar and typos make a great information look very low-professional.

 

[Ian Franssen]

This is an interesting read, thanks didn't know yet about this technology!

Very interesting how they find new solutions all the time around the excisting rules. If the FIA is aware about this I suppose there would be an easy solution to ban this idea if they don't want to allow this, by making a rule that the whole underside of the car needs to be carbon fibre or at least not to allow thermoplastics on the underside of the car. But perhaps I miss something, don't know if other materials are needed for the floor of the car.

 

[remydeleeuw]

Hey helmut.
Sorry for that. I did my best translating this whole article.
Some words that are specific dutch words are hard to translate.
Next time I'll triple check everything so it's easier to read.

 

[Ho3n3r]

Yes, and? They're not breaking any rules if they do that, and until it gets outlawed no-one can point fingers at them for once again being the cleverest of the bunch.

In fact, I think their technical and aero teams should get medals for the crazy, amazing stuff they've invented over the years

 

[remydeleeuw]

Yes, and? They're not breaking any rules if they do that, and until it gets outlawed no-one can point fingers at them for once again being the cleverest of the bunch.

In fact, I think their technical and aero teams should get medals for the crazy, amazing stuff they've invented over the years

It's not an article to critize red bull it's just something I wan't to share with this community

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

If it's all deemed legal by the FIA I must give RBR kudos for outsmarting the competition once again!

@HelmutS you have a few typos yourself in your last name

 

[Tony Holder]

Is this why RBR are leading the pack.....always ahead of the best or the rest?

 

[Kartik Sri Harsha]

Kudos to RBR and their Technical team. They are always pulling out some thing out of the hat.

Is this why RBR are leading the pack.....always ahead of the best or the rest?

Probably and Possibly

 

[Helmut Skrdla]

Hey helmut.
Sorry for that. I did my best translating this whole article.
Some words that are specific dutch words are hard to translate.
Next time I'll triple check everything so it's easier to read.

If there's demand for additional proof-reading on RD, I'm willing to help

I'm not an english native speaker but have spent years writing technical articles for international aircraft magazines. Not sure how often you guys need articles checked but I might be able to dedicate some time.

 

[Dan Hawkins]

I think some people need to think before posting comments about typos....

At least the writer has taken the time to get this article written up! Cut him some slack?!

 

[Dan Hawkins]

Oops double post

 

[Diego Lopez]

FIA is so far behind, this was on during the German GP post qualifying.

meh, just wait until Rory Byrne mops the floor against Newey, like he always did for so many years.

 

[Chicane500]

I guess other teams have to complain about the legality of the Red Bull first (again).

Of course it's illegal imo. Lets go back to Honda. Back in the refuelling days, they used a hidden resevoir that they used in the middle of the race, so at that point the car was below its minimum weight and at the final stint they made sure they finished with that hidden resevoir filled again. They got 2 races ban while it's technically not proven that they actually drove below minimum weight as far as I know. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_American_Racing#2005:_Poor_start_and_controversy )

The rules need an update that you can only use materials that don't change shape at 'racecommon' temperatures. And Red Bull will get away without a penalty and they won't do it again, just like those semi legal engine mapping last year.

 

[Kennett Ylitalo]

Ingenius but still dirty dirty Newey doing what he does best. One of these days his inventions are gonna cause him to be banned; there's no trust, everyone will always be suspecting of cheating no matter how legal and great the actual contraption will be. As far as my personal feeling has been for the last three years: he ALWAYS cheats.

 

[mesa]

And what about Lotus cars?
I always see sparkles under the car, which means the car is lower in racing condition than its legal. May they use the same materials. May more teams use those materials.

 

[Sderenno]

would have been sufficient official complaints rather than clarification requests for any doubt, would come right disqualifications and less attempts to trick the rules

 

[Zdravko Anticic]

I guess other teams have to complain about the legality of the Red Bull first (again).

Of course it's illegal imo. Lets go back to Honda. Back in the refuelling days, they used a hidden resevoir that they used in the middle of the race, so at that point the car was below its minimum weight and at the final stint they made sure they finished with that hidden resevoir filled again. They got 2 races ban while it's technically not proven that they actually drove below minimum weight as far as I know. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_American_Racing#2005:_Poor_start_and_controversy )

The rules need an update that you can only use materials that don't change shape at 'racecommon' temperatures. And Red Bull will get away without a penalty and they won't do it again, just like those semi legal engine mapping last year.

But BAR used a hidden reservoir, which is not allowed in the first place. I am fairly sure that somewhere in the rules it says that you should have one reservoir of X volume/capacity in the car.

 

[Andrew Holmes]

This is not hard to believe as even as far back as the Spanish GP 2007 the Red Bull team have been using flexible bodywork, just ope Merc can catch on fast