Increases in downforce through the use of underbelly tunnels are only possible when used in conjunction with the rear wing: "... a tunnel on a car without any wings and just the tunnels WILL NOT produce the same 60% downforce number that is being claimed.
Tunnels reduce underbody air pressures, and ALLOW a wing to have greater downforce ability. It is a wing that produces greater amounts of downforce when a tunnel is present, not the other way around. This [is] true even with sliders sealing the sides of the tunnel to the ground... "
So it appears that the advantage in using tunnels then appears to be the use of a smaller rear wing, thereby reducing drag, resulting in more downforce and less drag relative to just a larger rear wing. In addition, I have conflicting info regarding the turbulence behind a tunneled vs non tunneled car...i.e., higher or lower...the quote earlier suggests lower turbulence therefore easier for following car to pass. In addition, a tunneled car,when going over bumps, will have the air flow/downforce disrupted creating an unstable car.
In short, the aero guys are going to have a field day and spend tons of $$ for the developement of the '13' cars...F1 is definitely saving a lot of $$ with these rule changes!!

Later, Ken

 

This was used to good effect for one year in the now defunct champ car series.
The Panoz DP01 used underbody tunnels to create up to 60% of its total downforce. Also this is commonplace with prototype cars as well.
Turbos are going to make this fun again as well IMO. It just sucks for all the new teams that have to reinvest in their car for the new ruleset.

 

FIA Confirmed 20 Race Season for 2011

http://www.planet-f1.com/news/18227/...20-race-season

 

They were laughing at our 4 bangers, now look we are the future lol. Ferrari is right though i would rather see a turbo v6 1.8 and most car makers in F1 can more implement a v6 than a l4.

 

attention f1 teams: please hire me! i'll help you tune your engines.

 

*Cough* USF1 *Cough*

 

Well, the World Motor Sport Council met and decided to let Ferrari's original fine be the only sanction for breaking the team order rule at Hochenheim. The FIA president, Todt was not present but all agree his opinion implicitely went into the ruling. Now we all NO Todt used to work for Ferrari and utilized team orders...think Barricello and Schumi. So the decision to let Ferrari off was an expected conclusion. I bring this up not to continue the endless debate on the pro's and con's of team orders but to highlight the hypocrisy of the process. This meeting was supposedly an objective review of the evidence and it is here that the lawyers with their posturing like "...it depends on what U mean by the word is is..." ruled the day. Specifically, according to Todt: "Before you say you are guilty, you need to be able to prove that you are guilty,... And if you understand all the parts that have been asked, everyone has denied that it was a team order." So he claims there was no direct evidence of guilt, which is partially true... no one got on the radio and said, Massa, I order U to move over and let Fernando through. That said, we all NO that this was, in fact, provided but in a different form. In addition, Ferrari said that no team orders were given so that is further "evidence/proof" that it never happened....this is one of biggest examples of the "emperor has no clothes" of the modern era and makes a mockery of the entire process! When asked his opinion of those that claimed Ferrari had given team orders to rig the race, Todt said, "I tend to agree as well."
I guess the bottom line is this: The members of the World Motor Sport Council and the leader of the FIA either assume (1)everyone is to stupid to see through this artificial and false "legal inquiry" into the racing events at the Hochenheim GP OR (2) the general public assume the Council's decisions are derived from a higher deity and are, therefore, deemed infallible.
To the WCSC from me... F*#!*^!** U!

Later, Ken

 

if there were such a thing anymore i would

 

I mean if/when they try to make another attempt at making the grid!

 

Button, fastest in P1... Imagine that.

After watching P2, it looks as if quali is gonna be close. Could be any of the top three teams...

You guys like Massa's moment?

 

excellent race this week!!! i was expecting a parade but it was much closer then i though.


vettel got LUCKY!!!

 

The end was a bit of a parade... but there was some good action still. Button's gamble worked out pretty good. If you think about it... it's actually a good idea. He put a lot of downforce on the car to help it in braking and cornering... but then on the straights he could reduce the downforce with the F-Duct.

I feel bad for Hamilton tho. He was just too eager... he should've backed out at that chicane and just gone after the Ferrari's after.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zf40OzfwOo

 

Wow, Hamiliton actually seemed to take responsibility for his exit(that is, once he was given ample time to rehearse it). How did Hulkenberg avoid a penalty?

 

^ Thats a good question... I think he should have been forced to let Weber by. I think Weber would have had him if he didn't cut the chicane.

Also, how about Vettel and RB's use of team orders...? It didn't work in the end as Seb still beat Mark but at least they coded it a little better than Ferrari. Its still the same thing though...

Lastly, great to see Ferrari win at Monza. I would rather Massa gotten around Alonso at the beginning and taken the win but thats OK I suppose.