INCLINED TO RUN A HIGH RAKE
Last but not least, Force India is running a very high rake angle on the VJM09, once again a carryover from the VJM08 B at the end of last year. The team’s engineers are confident the concept (also seen at Red Bull and McLaren) has a higher potential for development than a lower rake, more traditional design.
By raising the rear ride-height, aerodynamicists try to expand the diffuser’s volume as much as possible. However, the higher it is positioned, the more exposed to turbulences the diffuser also is, which might end up hampering its efficiency.
This is the reason why aerodynamicists look to create a series of vortices to seal the diffuser’s edges as much as possible and protect it from the dirty air (coming mostly from the rotating front wheels).
All the 2016 F1 cars at a glance
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