Tightly packaging the exhaust system is a challenging process, with many factors to consider. ‘When you are laying out the car the [first requirement is the] compressor output position [which] is defined by the power unit so there is a discussion there on engine architecture,’ highlights Jody Egginton, Technical Director at Alpha Tauri. ‘Then there is the S-bend which goes from the compressor to the tailpipe and you need to make sure that you’ve got a geometry that optimises performance so there’s a chunk of CFD work involved there. The geometry is never perfect, because the perfect geometry is straight which is impossible. Then you need to consider the tailpipe diameter which needs to be within the legality box as well as how that [flow] interacts with the rear wing pylon. Again you want a nice clear path but the aero guys want minimum blockage through the engine cover so you don’t want to have to move the flow around wishbones because aero is king, so you’re trying to find the best tailpipe position and how to best orientate the wastegates,’ Egginton continues.

‘It’s a mixture of suspension design, packaging and power unit performance but the overall view is aero and the best overall package. If you had a straight tailpipe which is good from a power unit performance perspective, but you have a ridiculous hole in the back of the engine cover and the flow around the rear wing pylons is horrible with flow separation, then you wouldn’t do that. It’s all about the global car performance.’