The concept of an F1 car – or any car, for that matter – driving on the ceiling seems like something straight out of science fiction.
Formula 1 cars are known to generate an incredible amount of downforce, with motor sports engineers calculating that an average F1 car traveling at a speed of 200 km/h can create a downforce equivalent to its own mass.
According to reports, a modern Formula One car has the capability of producing 3.5g lateral cornering force (three and a half times its own weight) thanks to aerodynamic downforce.
The highest speed ever recorded by a Formula 1 car is 378 km/h, achieved by Finnish racer Valtteri Bottas in 2016.
So, does this mean that an F1 car theoretically could be driven upside down at high speeds?
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Such a car could accomplish this feat, but it would require a tunnel long enough for the stunt to take place and a different engine that would not leak. Former Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team chief technical officer Mike Elliott acknowledges that while possible, it would be too risky to attempt.
“You have to calculate how much downforce is needed to work the car against its weight. Then you have to determine how much additional downforce is required to apply traction with the wheels to overcome the drag,” he explained.
Elliott also stated that the car would need to be traveling at about 150 km/h to drive on the ceiling in terms of downforce, and the drag would also need to be taken into consideration.
“You wouldn’t want to suddenly run out of power, or find that you didn’t pick up enough fuel when the car is upside down, or if the gearbox or engine didn’t lubricate properly,” he added.
He shared that a significantly higher downforce would be needed to overcome the car’s mass while providing enough grip to the tires for the car to maintain a constant speed.
“We’re talking about a force two to three times the car’s mass, which is still physically possible to achieve with the enormous speeds of today’s F1 cars. Another consideration is the internal combustion engine, which is not intended to operate upside down.
“They rely on gravity, and changing that orientation could result in oil leakage into the combustion chamber, potentially damaging the engine. While it could be fixed, the primary concern is driver safety, and we doubt anyone would want to take that risk,” Elliott said.
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