Images
copyright Pete
Lyons, Pat
Michl,
Photos
@ Vector Trust
and Michael
J. Fuller
Text
copyright
Michael
J. Fuller
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The brake ducts are that in name only. The single seater nature of the brake cooling is very evident when the bodywork comes off (below). | ||||
The air intake for the brakes matches up to the duct in the bodywork (with appropriate room for wheel movement). The brake duct backing plate actually overlaps the tire (not residing within the circumference of the wheel) and has an extension where the duct proper is. This extension may act to reduce the amount of foreign object ingestion as the wheel travels throughout its steering lock. |
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The brakes also have an outboard backing plate that completely masks the disc. The entire brake ducting system is driven by desires to improve brake cooling as well as to eke out aerodynamic gains through reducing drag and gaining downforce. Contemporary high temperature resin systems make this a reality. The shielding is so close in proximity to the very hot carbon brake that in order to survive (much less through an endurance race length of 12 to 24 hours--we're not talking Grand Prix race lengths!) it must be made of resilient stuff! | ||||
Though the result of the shrouded brake discs is that brake glow is no longer visible on the R10. | ||||
As on the Audi R8, the R10's outboard plan view fender profile is off set from the inboard surface creating a channel which allows for airflow extraction from the wheel well. | ||||
The wheel well exit panel forms a rules compliance function masking mechanical parts of the car as seen from the side. | ||||
Looking up into the diffuser/wheel well exit. In the forward slot you can see up into the wheel well proper (yellow Kevlar wheel well lining), aft you can just see the trailing edge of the diffuser. From this vantage point you can also see the lower A-arm of the front suspension and its forward and rearward pickups on the tub. | ||||
Towards the end of 2007 a red vertical lip appeared in the exit of the forward front diffuser exit. Subsequently this was painted black (below, Sebring '08) making it a little harder to see. As to its function, best speculation is that it further helps extract air from the front fender valley/diffuser. And this makes sense if you think of the lip as a gurney creating a low pressure area on its outboard surface. | ||||