Cause and Analysis of 2022 Formula 1 ‘Porpoising’

Abstract

With the development of industrial technology, sports events have gradually drawn people’s attention. In motorsports, which is the experiment of advanced automotive technology, fluid mechanics analysis has been applied to their design and competition. Fluid mechanics cannot only reduce the air resistance on the vehicle surface but also play an essential role in stabilizing the vehicle in racing, especially in the corners. Therefore, the application of fluid mechanics has become more prevalent in recent years with plenty of performant aerodynamic designs. This article describes the ‘porpoising’, the aerodynamic oscillation phenomenon of the Venturi effect newly designed for the 2022 Formula 1. Moreover, there will be an explanation of the causes and effects of this phenomenon through fluid mechanics. The explanation will be based on analyzing the information from mechanics, team, and FIA. A geometric model and mathematical method will be applied to analyze the Venturi effect. Also, SolidWorks CFD computation for a simple Venturi tunnel model is a persuasive verification for aerodynamic oscillation. In addition, the development of the team and the rules of the FIA will be introduced. This information will be a great help for the FIA to improve the regulations and for the teams to design new vehicles.