Research on the aerodynamic performance of the F1 racing car rear spoiler with different track characteristics

Abstract

The rear spoiler of an F1 racing car is the main component that affects its aerodynamic performance. In the race, it is necessary to select the wing with different characteristics according to different track characteristics. In this paper, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology is used to study four different types of stationary airfoils, analyze their aerodynamic performance under three different track conditions, combine the characteristics of the track for quantitative analysis, and finally target the most suitable airfoil. Airfoil 2 is suitable for track 1 - Spa Francolchamp, a track with many curves and changeable climate, because of its medium negative lift value. The high negative lift force generated by airfoil 4 is applicable to the high altitude track, for example, Track 2 - The Rodriguez Brothers Track in this study. For airfoil 1, the lowest resistance value is applicable to track 3 - Silverstone, which is a track with many straight tracks and high-speed curves.