MOTOR SPORT TECH
Raking it in under pressure
Floor changes for this year, combined with cost-cutting measures, have shifted F1’s competitive order, says Mark Hughes
THE RAKE EFFECT
The rake angle – essentially the difference in height between front and rear – of a high-rake car such as Red Bull’s changes significantly depending on its speed.
LOW SPEED
When travelling slowly the rake increases as the rear rises due to the lack of downforce pressing down on its long-travel rear suspension. At the same time the centre of pressure moves forward as speeds fall, which improves cornering performance by combating the car’s natural tendency to understeer.
PHOTOGRAPHY: GETTY IMAGES
MAX REAR RIDE HEIGHT
A high-rake car can have nearly 150mm of static rear ride height and less than 25mm at the front axle
CENTRE OF PRESSURE
The centre of pressure will be within 2% of the car’s centre of gravity
FRONT WING LOWEST
With the front wing lower to the track, it will work in ground effect to create more downforce
ILLUSTRATION: CRAIG SCARBOROUGH
FROM THE MOMENT THE regulation floor trim of 2021 was announced there were competing theories about how it would affect the low-rake and high-rake cars respectively. The fact that the two low-rake cars – Mercedes and its relative, the Aston Martin – appeared to have significantly lost competitiveness in the opening race at least suggests that the change has favoured the high-rake concept popularised over the years by Red Bull and subsequently followed by most of the others. As such, the small tweak designed to ease the strain on the rear Pirellis may have fundamentally changed the competitive order.