F1 RACING DECEMBER 2019 97
AM I SEEING DOUBLE?DOUBLE REAR WINGS
Although rear wings would balloon in size during the early 1980s as
chassis designers (and tyre manufacturers) struggledto contain the
increasingly prodigious power outputs of the turbocharged engines,
this short-livedFerrari designfeature was more akinto a ‘dirty
protest’ than a serious attemptto generate downforce. In thefebrile
political atmosphere of 1982,Ferrari felt that certain Britishteams
weregetting away with making a mockery of the rules.At Long Beach
it fielded Gilles Villeneuve in a car with twin rear wings which, as a
whole if not individually, were much wider than permitted.WHAT GOES UP MUSTCOME DOWNACTIVE SUSPENSION
In any dissectionof active suspension it is the WilliamsFW14B, 1992’s
dominant car, that isthe maintopic of conversation. But the concept
was not anew one. TheLotus T92 was the firstto race with active
suspensionin 1983, and in 1987 the 99T was the first race-winning
active car. Developedto prevent uncontrollable grip losswhen a car
hit a bump on the track, pitchedunder braking, or accelerated out of
a corner, the answer wasa system thatcontinuouslymonitoreda
car’s ride height and adjusted it when necessaryto remainconstant.
Williams perfected it, withhydraulic actuators on each corner of the
car, and the consistent ride height,at any speed, provided for a perfect
aerodynamic platform. Andthen it was bannedfor 1994...F1 RACING DECEMBER 2019 97AMI SEEING DOUBLE?DOUBLE REAR WINGS
Although rear wings would balloon in size during the early 1980s as
chassis designers (and tyre manufacturers) struggledto contain the
increasingly prodigious power outputs of the turbocharged engines,
this short-livedFerrari designfeature was more akinto a ‘dirty
protest’ than a serious attemptto generate downforce. In thefebrile
political atmosphere of 1982,Ferrari felt that certain Britishteams
weregetting away with making a mockery of the rules.At Long Beach
it fielded Gilles Villeneuve in a car with twin rear wings which, as a
whole if not individually, were much wider than permitted.WHAT GOES UP MUSTCOME DOWN
ACTIVE SUSPENSION
In any dissectionof active suspension it is the WilliamsFW14B, 1992’s
dominant car, that isthe maintopic of conversation. But the concept
was not anew one. TheLotus T92 was the firstto race with active
suspensionin 1983, and in 1987 the 99T was the first race-winning
active car. Developedto prevent uncontrollable grip losswhen a car
hit a bump on the track, pitchedunder braking, or accelerated out of
a corner, the answer wasa system thatcontinuouslymonitoreda
car’s ride height and adjusted it when necessaryto remainconstant.
Williams perfected it, withhydraulic actuators on each corner of the
car, and the consistent ride height,at any speed, provided for a perfect
aerodynamic platform. Andthen it was bannedfor 1994...