Formula 1 is filled with technical intricacies that even seasoned fans need clarification on. That’s why we gave you the opportunity to ask your burning questions to our experts Ernest Knoors and Rob van den Heijkant. They delved into the subject matter and provide clear, understandable answers. Today, we discuss everything about the balance between downforce and air resistance.
This question comes from Maud Steller: “How do Formula 1 teams optimize the balance between downforce and air resistance? And what role has ground effect played in this since 2022?”
Rob van den Heijkant answers: “When a car generates a lot of downforce, it can go faster through corners, but because downforce also generates resistance, you lose speed on the straight. And vice versa, of course. For each circuit, there is a certain optimum and it’s about finding the best balance. Often this is examined and determined in advance through simulations. On a circuit with many corners, downforce is more important than the resistance it generates. Then you have, for example, a ratio of 2:1 (twice as much downforce compared to 1x resistance).
Monza: A Category of Its Own
On a circuit like Monza, with few corners and many long straights, you have a ratio of 4:1. In the wind tunnels, new parts are continuously tested. After a test, it is seen how much downforce such a part delivers and also how much resistance it produces. Suppose this is 3:1, then that part can be better used on a twisty circuit than on Monza. In this way, each part is examined and thus optimized for balance. That’s why many downforce components are removed from the car on circuits like Monza to achieve that 4:1 balance.
Regarding your question about the ground effect: it actually causes very little resistance. This means that almost all the gains you make in the floor can be used for any circuit. That’s why the floor is sacred in the current regulations.”
