Induced and Parasitic Drag
2021-10-09
How do the different types of aerodynamic drag affect a car?
Drag
In Formula One cars, the engineers would always like to minimise drag, so that the cars can reach higher top speeds in the straight sections of the track. The following formula is the formula for drag: $$ F_D=\frac 1 2\rho u^2c_dA $$ where $\rho$ is the fluid density, $u$ is the relative fluid velocity, $c_d$ is the drag coefficient, and $A$ is the area of the surface. We can see that the drag force is proportional to the _square_ of the velocity, thus explaining the plateau in the speed of the Formula One cars. This governing equation would help justify many of the aerodynamic developments seen in Formula One.