Glossary

Aerofoil

Type of upside-down wing used to keep the car firmly on the track at high speed. Ground-effects design shapes the body to provide down force as well.

CD

Coefficient of drag. It is determined by the shape andsmoothness of shape of the object.

Diffuser

Channels under the car defined by vertical "fences" whichincrease the airflow beneath the car by drawing it out andimproving down force.

Down force

Force generated by air passing over the wings, plus the interaction of the flat bottom of the car and the track surface.

Ground effect

Type of down force that is generated by a special formed underside of a racecar. Is the most effective like an upside-down aircraft wing, this increases the speed of air flowing under the car, and thereby generating a suction effect.

Laminar

Laminar flow means the fluid is moving in smooth layers aroundthe object. Airflow becomes turbulent moving from the front to therear of the car, forced around obstructions such as mirrors,helmets, and roll bars.

Monocoque

French word (one shell) describing the single-unit constructionof a modern racing car chassis, which basically needs to protectthe driver in case of crashes.

Streamline

Streamlines of flow about a streamline body follow the contoursof the body. In streamline bodies the flow remains attached, whilstkeeping wake behind it to a minimum.

Streamlines

Imaginary lines drawn in the flow to show the direction of the flow.

Turbulent

Turbulent airflow is when the fluid streamlines break into complex changing patterns. This can cause unstable forces on an object. As the airflow moves from the front of the car to the rear it becomes turbulent. The more air is turbulent, the less efficient the wing will be.

Undertray

Also known as the floor, the undertray houses the monocoque, engine/gearbox, and other chassis components.

Vortex

A swirling flow structure within a region of fluid flow.

Wing

In motorsport, a synonym for aerofoil. Shaped like and aircraftwing, but attached with the downside up to push the car as much aspossible to the ground.