Red Bull RB8

​That's what I thought, but that wouldn't be permitted and/or overlooked by other teams, would it?

 

Another ugly car. The ridiculous thing is, Ferrari's nose is actually higher than last year.

 

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hmm, i wonder where the vents lead, the new double diffuser perhaps? If it works the other teams can pack up and go home.

 

It does a bit. Maybe they're trying to route the air out somewhere else so the step doesn't disrupt the airflow too much. I don't think there's any loopholes left for an F-Duct type device.

 

As much as I dislike the new regs aesthetically, I love how completely different it's made the front three cars look to each other. They've all converged on roughly similar looking designs recently, but the McLaren, Ferrari and Red Bull look like they're all from separate eras.

 

channeling it out where the EBD did before maybe? I don't know what the exact ruling on the F-duct was, but I'd imagine it had something to do with the way it was operated, where-as this would be constantly 'on' so to speak, so probably wouldn't be affected by the F-duct rules.

 

Maybe they've packaged the Kers system in the bulkhead like the 2009 Honda design, and the step vent is used to cool it.

 

ScarbsF1 Craig Scarborough
The 2011 RB7 had a wide slotted inlet at the bottom of the front bulkhead, this year an opening above it, positive pressure in the cockpit?

ScarbsF1 Craig Scarborough
at that width and just 6mm high, the nose inlet could also form the driver cooling inlet?

 

If it is a slot perhaps it'll feed into the sidepods allowing more compact openings for the sidepods. The hot air out of the sidepod will most probably vent down onto the diffuser, like the funnel on the Ferrari.

 

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Just found this on Twitter: http://yfrog.com/eskqahwj

Scroll two photos to the left.

 

https://www.redbullcontentpool.com/...ction?disciplineID=0000017#topOfSearchResults

 

ScarbsF1 Craig Scarborough
So the launch spec RB8 blows the exhaust inboard under the rear top wishbone and over the crash structure, may be he copied Force India

 

Aside from the exhaust and nose, it looks identical to the RB7. These pictures are **** - Tomorrow there will be hi-def pictures of the RB8 from almost every angle so why couldn't Red Bull give us some proper shots today?

That inlet on the nose -- is it some sort of passive f-duct? You can see on the Ferrari that there is also a small hole, but under the nose:
http://motorsport.nextgen-auto.com/gallery/pictures/2012/f1/pres-ferrari-03fev/010_medium.jpg

 

I'll laugh if that nose intake isn't really an intake at all, and is just a bluff by Newey

 

You got here first Miggins.

This comment and all those which have followed from it, would seem the most likely thing; which begs the question: what is Newey doing with the air it is gulping in? I doubt that it is simply adding to the side-pods, which would not seem in keeping with Newey's style. So is it being used to create a high pressure zone above the diffuser line? - or even in the cockpit (which would also add downforce)? I think it's odd that other 2012 cars; at least, those designs which utilise a step; have not even attempted to see it as a potentially useful thing to be exploited.

If one punches a hole in a big Lego brick, some of the air can go through it, rather than over or around its sides. The interesting thing is to consider how Newey and his team have been able to make use of this extra* captured air. My bet at this stage is that it integrates with the diffuser…

*'Extra' when compared to their previous car.

 

There's a hole on the nose of the new Mclaren as well, and I believe Mercedes were experimenting with the concept last year as well. Wouldn't surprise me, but strikes me as an odd place to have one if that is the case...

 

How far down does the driver need to be sat?