F1 Aerodynamic Cooling

The instantaneous gas temperature at the point of combustion in a modern Formula 1 engine can reach up to 2,600°C, which is half as hot as the surface of the sun. Add to that the temperature of components such as the Energy Store and the Turbocharger and you begin to realise just how much internal temperature an F1 car can generate. As motorsport continues to downsize its engines and increase the efficiencies of the hybrid powertrain, these temperatures will continue to rise and consequently so will the demand for effective cooling systems.

As well as innovative radiator designs, new materials and pioneering coolant chemistries, Aerodynamic cooling can play an important role in maintaining the temperatures of a racecar to a more sustainable level. Aerodynamic elements, vents and louvres can help guide the oncoming cool airflow and route it round high temperature components, where the heat is transferred to the air, and then taken away.

This year, for optimal performance, the teams arrived at the Australian Grand Prix with radical sidepod concepts with crazy packaging solutions. The internal layouts of these sidepods are so tight and on the limit, that there has even been some evidence of burn marks on the outside of the bodywork for some of the teams. There is no doubt that cooling is a major concern for teams this year, but with every gain in cooling performance, comes a loss in Aerodynamic performance. So how have the teams compromised and utilised Aerodynamic cooling to achieve the optimum solution?