RENAULT’S REVAMPED FLOOR…
Renault, which was celebrating its 40 years in F1 last weekend at Silverstone, introduced a new floor and revised diffuser on the R.S. 17. The purpose of the floor is to direct the air towards the rear of the car and diffuser, an area where around 50% of the downforce of an F1 car is generated. This type of downforce is all the more valuable that it does not come with drag.
The floor of an F1 car usually receives two or three updates per year, given that six to eight weeks are required to produce a new spec. Having outsourced the manufacturing of the floor in recent years, Renault will bring it back in house at Enstone for next season’s R.S. 18.
Current photo material is not enough to detect the differences between the two Renault floor specs, though it seems the bulge located just ahead of the diffuser has been slightly altered (compare white arrows).
Besides, one can also note that the floor vane on the inside of the rear wheels is no longer rounded but flat (see yellow arrows). This component aims at producing a vortex on its edge in order to seal the diffuser’s edges and protect it from the turbulent air coming off the wheels.
The image above also shows the wastegate, which is located above the turbine, the latter being installed at the back of the internal combustion engine (ICE) and covered here with an insulating material.
