Renault defends legality of 2018 exhaust

  • Published on 10 Mar 2018 11:55
  • 18
  • By: Danny Sosef

Renault has defended the legality of its 2018 car's exhaust layout. At the rear of the yellow and black car, the engine exhaust is pointed upwards towards the rear wing, which has been reinforced with heat resistant material.

And after running, the rear wing shows signs of heat charring, indicating that Renault is benefitting from outlawed exhaust 'blowing'.

But technical boss Nick Chester said: "I have not heard any complaints. You can arrange the exhaust in various ways and we have just put it closer to the top of the bodywork. On most of the cars, the exhaust gas flow is directed more or less towards the wing, which is why we've developed a solution to make the most of the opportunities that the regulations allow."

"If the exhaust pipe is located where it is allowed to be, I don't see the problem," he added.

Replies (18)

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  • Its a smart move, and I sorta hope they dont ban it.

    • + 0
    • Mar 10 2018 - 12:03
  • Jutlandia

    Posts: 191

    Maybe on a hotter day, the rear wing will catch fire.

    • + 1
    • Mar 10 2018 - 13:25
    • xoya

      Posts: 583

      That would be pretty spectacular. :D

      • + 0
      • Mar 10 2018 - 15:20
  • RogerF1

    Posts: 501

    Why haven’t they banned the double barrel shotgun underneath, presuming it’s a deterrent to the competition getting too close? Very 007 but not very subtle.
    That said, looks a bit of a Brawn double diffuser move, smart exploitation of the rules, that’s what innovation is all about. They’ll ban it for sure.

    • + 1
    • Mar 10 2018 - 16:16
    • Oh, oh, I didnt realyl get what you meant until now, but thats some hilarious stuff! XD

      Yeah, the other teams will do anything to get this banned, but I hope they will keep it.

      • + 0
      • Mar 10 2018 - 19:38
    • RogerF1

      Posts: 501

      Seriously I’m not sure what the smaller twin tail pipes are, is this a feature on other cars? Maybe the twin outlet they were talking of to make more noise or could they be wastegate outlets off the turbo? Any ideas anyone?

      • + 0
      • Mar 11 2018 - 00:49
    • RogerF1

      Posts: 501

      Having a skip through testing photos these smaller pipes are there on RB, Merc, Williams and Force India. Were they there last season? Other teams have them either side or partially below not fully. Only Renault looks like a double barrel shotgun.
      Hope Seb doesn’t do a ‘Hammy’ manoeuvre on a Renault!

      • + 0
      • Mar 11 2018 - 01:10
    • I dont know either, I assume its just additional exhaust pipes or part of some cooling system. Similar piper could be seen on last year's Renault, and as you say, some of this year's cars have them aswell.

      • + 0
      • Mar 11 2018 - 08:07
    • Kean

      Posts: 692

      The smaller exhaust pipes seen below the big one on the Renault and on either side on the other cars were added last season, or the season before that. I believe it was fore one reason: to increase the noise from the engines. Don't think it as anything to do with performance, it was to satisfy the noise complaints. SMH...

      • + 1
      • Mar 11 2018 - 09:30
    • Thats probably it, KEAN. There was a similar thing on the RS16: a single, smaller pipe on top of the primary exhaust pipe.

      • + 0
      • Mar 11 2018 - 09:55
    • Hepp

      Posts: 200

      Current technical PU regulations state,"Engines exhaust systems must have a single tailpipe for the turbine and either one or two tailpipes for the wastegate."

      • + 2
      • Mar 11 2018 - 10:32
    • RogerF1

      Posts: 501

      @ HEPP. Thanks to clarify that, and I do like the Renault configuration, very menacing ?

      • + 0
      • Mar 11 2018 - 15:15
  • NSBiker

    Posts: 18

    I seem to recall that there has been a possible 5 deg angle allowed for the exhaust for quite a while. Surprising that it hasn't been used before. Maybe they hid it with the monkey seat.
    It's a great move.

    • + 0
    • Mar 10 2018 - 19:23
  • Pauli

    Posts: 140

    Is it allowed to reduce exhaust pipe cross section? (I feel too lazy to read regulations today)
    They create nozzle to even father increase speed of flow to reduce pressure under the wing.

    • + 0
    • Mar 11 2018 - 15:32
    • Hepp

      Posts: 200

      The increased airflow beneath the rear wing is to stabilize the car, no effect at high speed, but, deflected properly at low speed will add to downforce. Similar to air brakes on an airplane when landing.

      • + 0
      • Mar 12 2018 - 00:02
  • Barron

    Posts: 625

    Guys the extra pipes you see are the wastegate exhaust which makes the PUs louder since 2017. So I think it’s a requirement within the rules.

    • + 0
    • Mar 11 2018 - 18:40
    • Hepp

      Posts: 200

      Exhaust pipes have been regulated since 1997. Inside diameter, direction and length. The trick is to "tune" them to maximum efficiency - the more bends in the pipe = more back pressure. Furthermore, the pipes may not be interconnected as to create a Venturi effect. The extreme upward angle takes advantage of low speed aero downforce , because of the limited underbody/diffuser air flow.

      • + 0
      • Mar 11 2018 - 23:43
    • RogerF1

      Posts: 501

      @ HEPP. Could this therefore replicate or assist the effect the red bulls had lost, that of low speed downforce and “switching it on” coming out of slow corners?

      • + 0
      • Mar 12 2018 - 21:35

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