ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE

AERODYNAMICS
INTERNATIONAL FORUM
30 November -1 December 2017, Manchester, UK

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Formula E vs Formula 1
Aerodynamics
In Formula 1, Aerodynamic performance is one of the key differentiators between the teams
Gemma Hatton at the back of the grid and those winning the Championship. Of course, both reliability and
Deputy Editor performance of the power units are also crucial to success, however these are not entirely
Racecar Engineering Magazine, UK
under the team’s control. Formula E however has a completely different ethos.
‘The main performance differentiator in Formula E is how efficiently teams can use the energy
from the battery over a race distance and therefore requires high thermal and mechanical
efficiency from both the Motor and Inverter,’ highlights Mark Preston, Team Principal at
Techeetah Formula E team. ‘Top speed is proportional to peak power and because we are given
a peak power limit by the regulations, theoretically there cannot be dramatic differences in
top speeds between the different cars. In Formula 1, they are restricted to the 1.6L engines
and are effectively free to generate as much power as they want.’
Lift is proportional to v² in the equation L = ½ ρ v2 CL A where v is velocity, ρ is air density, A is
the frontal area and CL is the lift coefficient. With Formula E showcasing ‘greener’ EV technology

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ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE
AERODYNAMICS
INTERNATIONAL FORUM
30 November -1 December 2017, Manchester, UK

by taking races to highly populated city centres, naturally the tracks are narrower and shorter,
with more corners. Therefore, cornering speeds are much lower, for example the most frequent
apex speed in Season 3 was between 55-80kmh. At the other end of the scale, a ‘fast’ corner
in Formula E is around 120kmh, whereas Formula 1 reaches speeds of 225kmh. This is why
Formula E cars are geared for short sprints with lower top speeds; peaking at around 215kmh
during Qualifying in Season 3. Formula 1 on the other hand can achieve speeds of 355kmh
on long straights in low downforce configurations at tracks such as Monza.
‘The lower speeds mean the cars are not dominated by Aerodynamics which is why the wing
profiles on Formula E cars are much less aggressive,’ explains Preston. ‘It is still important to
achieve minimum drag and ensure the car is in the right window in terms of % Aero balance,
but because we are given a stock vehicle we cannot optimise the Aero package like Formula
1, we can only adjust the angles of the wings.’

Clever Regulating for Close Racing

In addition to the nature of city circuits putting less emphasis on downforce, the FIA have fixed
all the aero surfaces on the car and forbidden carbon fibre brake ducts which drain resources
in Formula 1. This means that teams simply cannot invest millions of pounds on tiny Aero
performance gains, achieving the two philosophies of Formula E: minimising costs and
encouraging closer racing.
‘The Championship has chosen an aero package with a lower Lift Coefficient than Formula 1,
and with the lower cornering speeds due to the twistier tracks, this means there is less induced
drag and a smaller downstream wake for the following car,’ explains Phil Charles, Technical
Manager at Panasonic Jaguar Racing Formula E Team.
We are all aware that for each amount of downforce added to a car, the drag increases as well.
However, the ratio of this differs depending on the aero device in question. Usually, due to
ground effect, floors and diffusers are relatively efficient, but aggressive rear wings and
uncovered wheels can generate huge amounts of turbulent air in the form of a wake. This is
why this year’s wider tyres in Formula 1 have also contributed to making overtaking more
difficult.
‘Put simply, because our cars have lower downforce, they don’t produce large wakes,’ says
Preston. ‘Track performance is always a factor of Power, Aerodynamics and Tyres. We have one

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ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE
AERODYNAMICS
INTERNATIONAL FORUM
30 November -1 December 2017, Manchester, UK

type of tyre, so that is controlled, we are restricted with regard to our Aero package and are
limited in terms of peak power; so we have a lot less variables than in Formula 1 which leads
to much closer racing.’
A further consequence of reducing the impact of Aerodynamics is that the bodywork design
can prioritise practicalities and aesthetics, with the latter essential in establishing the futuristic
image of electric racing. ‘The beauty of Formula E is the clean and clear regulatory decisions
that have helped the FIA achieve what it set out to do, unlike Formula 1 where controlling
costs remains an issue,’ highlights Charles. ‘Furthermore, by focusing teams to invest and
develop the efficiency of the Motors and Inverters, it will drive the level of innovation, which
is why so many Manufacturers are now interested in participating in Formula E. Currently,
Automotive Manufacturers often partner for their battery solution and have specific budgets
for developing the Motor and Inverter for their electric vehicles. Well, this is very similar to
what we do in Formula E and we all know that racing doubles the intensity of any development
testing. Cleverly, the regulations have been written to give Manufacturers a platform to
develop their road car technology.’

Cooling Controversies
A large proportion of Aero development in Formula 1 is to utilise the airflow to improve cooling,
whether it be the engine, gearbox, brakes or tyres. yet this is another fundamental difference
between the two championships. ‘When running an internal combustion engine, you are
limited by the capabilities of the water in the cooling circuits which is why teams increase the
pressure to try and raise the boiling point up to around 130°C,’ explains Preston. ‘Fundamentally,
the level of required cooling depends on the difference between the ambient temperature and
the component you are trying to cool. Let’s assume the ambient temperature is 32°C and track
temperature is 45°C. As specified by regulation, our batteries start at ambient temperature but
then can reach up to 60°C, whereas Formula 1 can see maximum temperatures of 130°C. So,

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ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE
AERODYNAMICS
INTERNATIONAL FORUM
30 November -1 December 2017, Manchester, UK

you can see that for us, the airflow actually warms the batteries up initially rather than cooling
them down, which is a completely opposite challenge to Formula 1.’
Despite these lower temperatures, cooling in Formula E remains essential as it directly affects
the efficiency the batteries, motor and inverters operate at. Therefore, teams still invest in CFD
analysis to optimise the flow. The majority of the dielectric fluid cooling system for the batteries
as well as the pump and radiator core, located in the right sidepod, are all fixed by the
regulations. The innovation happens in the left sidepod which houses the powertrain
components and thus the cooling strategy which the teams are free to design and are
therefore keeping close to their chest.

Formula E’s Future Aerodynamics

Earlier this year, the first conceptual images of the 2018/2019 Formula E contender was
revealed. As ever, it is difficult to conclude what the final design will converge to. However,
from an Aero point of view, the initial design seems to focus on covering the front and rear
wheels more than previous years, which could contribute to further close racing. ‘Electric cars
gain their performance through efficiency, which is why teams focus on minimising drag as it
uses less energy,’ highlights Preston. ‘Logically, you want to use the most efficient aero devices,
whilst covering the least efficient. Therefore, covering the wheels and utilising larger diffusers
and more effective floors is the obvious direction to go in because it reduces the wake hugely.’
There is also the closed cockpit feature which appears on these initial concepts and would
obviously improve the Aerodynamics. However, Formula E are likely to replace this with the
controversial ‘Halo’ that will also feature in next year’s Formula 2 series.

Exciting racing?
As Season 4 of Formula E commences this December in Hong Kong, the question is has the
FIA’s efforts in regulating the Championship been successful? As always, it depends on the
definition of success. Managing costs and therefore team’s survival in a new Championship
has definitely been achieved. Encouraging new fans to interact more with a greener form of

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 racing has also been accomplished. The continual influx of Manufacturers from Season 5
onwards proves the success of the business model. but what about exciting racing?
ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE
AERODYNAMICS To achieve exciting racing, there needs to be variability. yet, although the regulations have
INTERNATIONAL FORUM
30 November -1 December 2017, Manchester, UK restricted the number of variables from an Aerodynamic point of view, this has inadvertently
increased the variability throughout a race weekend. ‘Forbidding brake ducts is a good
example because it leads to an imbalance in brake temperatures and therefore friction, which
makes the car harder to drive,’ explains Preston. ‘The drivers are also purely responsible for
controlling the tyre temperatures. With Superpole being only one lap and no cooling allowed,
there is no time for the drivers to cool and balance the temperatures, which can lead to more
randomness. The format of Formula E means there is simply no time to get everything perfect
which puts more responsibility on the driver and makes the races more exciting.’

Internect Ltd. is hosting the 3rd Advanced Automotive Aerodynamics Forum, 30th of November
- 1st of December 2017 in Manchester, UK.
Don't miss the opportunity to join the only International Automotive Event on the topic, which
perfectly combines high quality presentations, exclusive participation of top-level experts at
decision-making level with smart and innovative networking opportunities.
Gain insight into the latest case studies on aerodynamic design and optimization processes,
WLTP, future CO2 compliance testing for aerodynamics solutions, thermal modeling and
aerodynamic process, aero-thermal development & efficiency, aerodynamic flow control and
drag reduction, advanced CFD and wind tunnel testing, motorsport aerodynamics and
aerodynamic development transfer between motorsport and production industries, among
many other topics.

For more information, visit us at:

http://www.internect.co.uk/content/91/international-forum-advanced-automotive-aerodynamics-2017-

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