HIGH-PRECISION MEASUREMENTS
Among the measuring devices always used on F1 cars, the Pitot tube is attached to the front end of the chassis. The image above, which was snapped last weekend, shows a Ferrari mechanic calibrating the element in the garage. It is not unusual for teams to add a second sensor in free practice (see bottom image) for more precise measurements.
The Pitot sensor involves Bernoulli’s principle whereby airflow velocity is determined by measuring pressures. It is made up of two tubes, one for the static pressure, the second one for the overall pressure, which increases with speed.
A pressure gauge measures the pressure differential between the two tubes (dynamic pressure), which is then used to determine airflow velocity around the sensor. With the car moving the air as it goes forward, the sensor is not as accurate as the sort of high-mounted devices often seen in winter testing. The pressures are then collected in a transducer via a series of thin and transparent plastic tubes.
Combined with other speed measuring devices (including one fitted on the wheels), the Pitot sensor indicates whether the car is experiencing headwind (the Pitot speed is then higher) or tailwind (the Pitot speed is lower).
It is also worth mentioning that McLaren and Toro Rosso mounted Pitot sensors inside the airbox of the MCL32 and STR12 when they ran the Halo cockpit protection system on Friday, this in order to measure the device’s impact of airflow circulation towards the engine.
