Re: Lack of downforce/grip despite ground effect?

Teams have gone with less topside aero this season because of ground effect. Ride height is critical to achieve the correct conditions and can be broken by ground effect being too severe (leading to porpoising) i.e. ground effect too large, excess downforce causes car to bottom, breaking ground effect, gap is restored ground effect reattaches. Bottoming is solved by stiffening the car but is then bad for suspension - most of the older suspension movement was in the low pressure tyres which are gone for higher pressure low profiles with no suspension and means the car is more sensitive to bumps. .This alters the airflow beneath the car and also breaks the ground effect. It's basically this equation that they're trying to balance with varying track temperature, less movement in the tyres to generate temperature and therefore grip. Less topside aero result is also reduced drag so adding more to compensate if you raise the ride height to combat the bottoming makes the car slower.

If you can work it out, you can earn Newey freedoms.