P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Why do F1 cars run flow-vis paint and aero rakes in testing?
Formula 1 teams use pre-season testing to gather data on aerodynamic performance, using flow-visualisation paint and aerodynamic rakes. The brightly-colored paint, called flow-vis, is applied to different parts of the car to track the movement of airflow at high speeds. The lines left by the paint provide valuable insights into the car’s real-world surface flow and the direction of the air. This helps teams visualize the structure of the car and identify any issues, such as airflow separation, which can lead to increased drag and decreased stability. Flow-vis paint has become even more important in F1 since wind-tunnel testing was restricted in 2021.
