I think arguments about what individual aspect of design is best to be silly. It's like arguing RISC versus CISC. Theoretically RISC is faster, but the fab matters way more than the instruction set. You just cannot isolate variables.
Race car design is about being fastest within the rules and budgets. Race rules are all about limiting costs, adding safety, making fun races, and gaining sponsorships. AWD adds complexity and cost. I'm not sure how massive downforce and AWD interact.
But I still think the Mini is crap. My four days in a Cooper S were more than enough for me. I'd rather have a Fiat Panda.
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Originally Posted by Suberman
The real distinction between (or among for that matter) awd fwd and rwd is the effect of excess power.
An understeering car is faster than an oversteering car.
If the engine torque cannot overcome drive wheel tire grip then fwd is likely to be quickest.
If engine torque can overcome drive wheel tire grip the awd will always be quickest.
Awd will ALWAYS understeer initially under excess power because the rear drive wheels will be pushing the front drive wheels sideways as they are turned into corner. Awd and fwd can be induced to oversteer by application of a rear brake.
It is also very difficult to engineer a quick awd car that can also be made to oversteer under power.
Rwd is odd. It is everybody's favourite but it is inferior to awd and fwd technically. It is quicker than fwd only when engine torque would overwhelm the front drive wheels. Awd is always banned from racing categories when rwd cars are desired for entertainment value.
While it may feel fast to oversteer a rwd car it just isn't. It's all for show. Any oversteer wastes forward drive in a rwd car. In fwd and awd drifting a tad does not waste forward drive.
All the fastest forms of road racing use rwd and ban awd.
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