Quote:
Originally Posted by wbradley
Creating downforce usually creates drag. How much downforce does this type of car need? Not a lot, as long as it is down force, not lift.
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You can make a ton of downforce through ground effects, with little increase on drag, if any. Big wings and canards and vents and scoops may look impressive, but the biggest gains will come from ground effects. Roughly 70% of the downforce generated by modern race cars come from what's under the car, not on it.
How much downforce you want to make really depends on how fast you want to go. The % increases in downforce are directly proportional to % increases on grip. I think everyone is trying to make aerodynamics more complicated than it really is and really lose sight of what aerodynamics is for: creating a pressure differential.