Breaking news
Formula 1
FIA explains how unrestricted CFD testing will work
The FIA has revealed the requirements Formula 1 teams will need to adhere to in order to produce unrestricted CFD simulations for the planned 2021 aerodynamics regulations.
Jake Boxall-Legge
Edited: Dec 21, 2018, 2:01 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
In December's World Motor Sport Council meeting, the FIA announced that the limit on CFD development for current specification cars would be lifted - albeit only for work carried out for the expected 2021 rules.
This has been confirmed in the latest issue of the sporting regulations, released on Thursday, explaining the conditions in which teams will be permitted to carry out development for the future technical ruleset.
At the FIA's discretion, teams will be afforded non-restricted CFD development "on an equitable and transparent basis", although such development is completely optional.
In advance of producing simulations, teams must provide a list of flow and boundary conditions before the FIA approves its extra use of CFD resources.
This includes the geometry of the parts to be tested, along with any mathematical models and conditions within the simulation to ensure transparency.
Teams will also be required to provide full reports of simulations to the FIA and to the other teams, on the proviso that no intellectual property is shared between parties.
Ultimately, the research and development carried out in the unrestricted simulations will assist the FIA's technical team shape the 2021 ruleset, expected to be a continuation of the changes brought in for next season.
There is a previous precedent to this, with teams afforded extra CFD time when working to the 2019 regulations after they were revealed, as F1 also provided an input with its own in-house technical researchers.
Next year's cars will have larger front wings, extended by 200mm in width and 25mm in depth, while the rear wings will be 70mm taller and wider.
DRS will also be more effective, and the upper rear wing flap will open up by an extra 20mm when activated.
Further changes to the sporting regulations include a 5kg increase in the maximum fuel limit, rising from 105kg to 110kg.
F1 car CFD demonstration
Photo by: Sauber Petronas
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Communication Honda's "biggest change" after McLaren split
Next article The Formula 1 2019 entry list in full
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Jake Boxall-Legge
"I'll bombard myself with melatonin": Kimi Antonelli admits to driving "tense" and "tired" on cusp of F1 title
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
"I'll bombard myself with melatonin": Kimi Antonelli admits to driving "tense" and "tired" on cusp of F1 title
Ryo Hirakawa could have "easily" made Q2 in F1 Mexico GP without late traffic
Formula 1
Formula 1
Mexican GP
Ryo Hirakawa could have "easily" made Q2 in F1 Mexico GP without late traffic
Latest news
Winners and losers from F1's record-breaking Mexico Grand Prix
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
9 min
Winners and losers from F1's record-breaking Mexico Grand Prix
Carson Hocevar denies intent in Austin Cindric clash: “We were just having fun”
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Martinsville II
13 min
Carson Hocevar denies intent in Austin Cindric clash: “We were just having fun”
Why Charles Leclerc didn’t yield Mexico GP lead after cutting Turn 5
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Mexican GP
30 min
Why Charles Leclerc didn’t yield Mexico GP lead after cutting Turn 5
Ryan Blaney says Josh Berry "lost his mind" in Martinsville clash
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Martinsville II
40 min
Ryan Blaney says Josh Berry "lost his mind" in Martinsville clash
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe