Is there a faster way around a given track than current F1?

[The Moose]

F1 a few years ago were quicker!

[humpbackmaniac]

Thanks for all the replies. So an existing F1 and a boost up to the heady days of 1500hp seems to be the overall view.

[matt-ITR]

Would a rallycross car be able to compete on a slower, twistier circuit like Monaco?
Or a bonkers Pike Peak style car maybe?

[Quhet]

james_gt3rs said:

What if it was the TT course

Can of worms...

[Ryvita]

The answer to this probably lies in simulations. No-ones mentioned fan cars yet.

http://gran-turismo.wikia.com/wiki/Red_Bull_X2014_...

3 ltr V6 turbo pushing 1200BHP, 0-60 in 1.9 sec, top speed of 491 kmph and the ability to pull sideways G at ridiculous levels because it is literally stuck to the road like a hoover head.

Yes this is fictional, but was designed by Red Bull so is presumably not theoretically impossible. Also, note that fan cars have form in formula 1.

http://jalopnik.com/5442597/brabham-bt46b-fan-car-...

[RizzoTheRat]

kambites said:

I think such a car would be closed wheel and closed cockpit; probably with no wings (generating all its downforce from under-body aero with computer controlled suspension giving very tightly controlled ride height). I'm not even sure you'd use a piston engine - I think you can get more power per unit weight out of a jet these days.

Guessing here but are proper underbody aerodynamics more efficient than wings? I'd expect them to have better downforce/drag ratio due to better control of edge effects so think you're on to something there.

Jets aren't as responsive as a piston engine, so turbo/electric might make sense but probably not mechanical drive.

kambites said:

Probably not; would the "car" even touch the ground or could some sort of flying drone be quicker?

You'd need a hell of a lot of thrust/drag to take corners so sticking it to tarmac probably makes more sense.

Buff Mchugelarge said:

Nomex inflatable trousers,

Inflatable trousers for fighter pilots are to cope with vertical G-forces (stop the blood rushing to their legs instead of the brain). Race cars only get a sideways G loading so this wouldn't help, unless they had swinging cockpits so that the g-forces were always in the same direction for the driver.

[Fabric]

Ryvita said:

The answer to this probably lies in simulations. No-ones mentioned fan cars yet.

A modern take on ground effect racing would be awesome, the BT46 and the 2J were incredibly cool pieces of engineering imo. I'd love to see them redone with current tech. Albeit, I've tried driving the X2014 in Gran Turismo and it was bloody terrifying.

[stugolf]

F1 is purely governed by rules, if you:

1. Add ground effect back to the cars with a touch of Red Bull rear diffuser tech
2. Make them wider
3. Use the V10's from 2004 added to the hybrid from this years
4. Shed some more weight

Your looking at 1000+ 550kg that probably wouldn't have to brake much for the corners!