2010A Car Designs

2010A is another spec engine season for the league, so all the variety is in the chassis.  And there is a lot of variety.  Every option has been exercised across the league, so this little tech summary will be with respect to parts.

Aerodynamics

Clearly, the flexible front wing was the favored option, but for the first time a team has optimized around the simpler fixed front wing.  SUPEROO's plan for the GSR4a may be to qualify up front and walk away from the field so they do not have to pass anyone, at least for position.  Or maybe this is an accounting decision because they cannot afford to keep replacing those expensive flexible front wings.

The diffusors are nearly evenly split between narrow and medium, with no takers on the wide variant.

Suspension

The base gp suspension layout is dominant, likely due to it not increasing the cost of the car.  However, one team, RAC, has opted to retain their tried and true kpi suspension.

An new feature for suspensions this season is construction material, with every available material being used across the league.  Antares is  using the expensive nanotech, and Rusyn and Litchfield are using the brittle carbon fiber, MRDC is using the bendy polymer, and everyone else is using basic steel.

Pit Technology

The research into pit technology has made faster pit stop possible, but apparently that technology was deemed too expensive by all teams.  The most tech used is level 3, the maximum used last season, by SUPEROO, MRDC, Litchfield, and Rusyn.  Level 2 is being used by SDL, Antares, and M-Sport.  RAC has simply drafted some unemployed ex-A1GP pit crew to implement level 1.

Third Spring

Last season only one team used the third spring, but apparently other teams took notice, because this season there is a pretty even split between teams using a third spring and not.

In Car Adjustability 

Once again, only one team chose this (brake bias): Rusyn.

Center of Mass

This is all over the place, with all sorts of mixes of centers and ranges.  The most fore mass reachable by any car is 0.52 (aft) by RAC.  The most aft is 0.58 by SDL.

Advanced Materials (CG height)

The most aggressive cars with materials are M-Sport and SUPEROO, both reaching a CG height of 220mm.  The lowest tech entries are Rusyn and MRDC with 232mm each.

Track Width

While most teams stood pat with the default track of the last couple of seasons, two teams, M-Sport and RAC, jumped on the opportunity to try to recapture an aspect of their dominant chassis models of old formula seasons.  Time will tell if these narrow tracks will work as well on the current short wheelbases as they did on those old long wheelbases.  One team is venturing where no team has gone before -- wider tracks.  Litchfield has gone with a rear track at the maximum allowed, 1800mm.

Brakes

A variety of brakes are in use, with the most notable observation being the general increase in the use of nanotech brakes.  Is this a sign of inconsistent carbon brakes in 2009C, or are teams pushing the aerodynamic edge trying to get brake ducts a couple of clicks lower?