pitot tubes on race cars

[Ado Sigal]

  Cody Forbes wrote:

>Let us also not forget that the Mercs aren't the only cars to go skyward!
>There were a few GTP cars that did simmilar backflips, and most recently the
>Porsche GT1 at Road Atlanta. Some GTP cars were on thier own, but the Mercs
>and Porsche were all within close enough distance to another car the loose
>some of their front downforce, and when combined with cresting a small hill,
>making some lift.
>
>-Cody
>
>Then Louis-Alain writes:
>Ado,
>
>>From what I read at the moment, the problem was that the CLK-GTR was a short
>wheelbase car with huge overhangs; the rear wing was so far behind the rear
>axle, it's rear downforce was only balanced by the front splitter own
>downforce. So in 2 occasions rear downforce would tilt the nose of the car
>upward when following another car. On another occasion, the nose got light
>when the car crested that little bump on the Mulsanne straight. And after
>the nose is up just a little, you have a flying and flipping MB.
>
>So I think we are both right. Don't forget that no less than 3 MB CLK-GTR
>flew that year, 1 in the weeks before, 1 one the Thursday's practice and 1
>during the race, each in its own circumstances. 
>
>Louis-Alain
>
>
>  
>
Indeed, we are all talking about aerodynamically induced accidents, 
where my comment on Merc was strictly for LeMans, although there where 
obviously more aero accidents in the US, which you boys brought up. It 
all goes to show how undeveloped and wrong the downforce aerodynamics 
are, so the re-emergence of the pietot tube, I can see as a sign of 
doubt within the aerodynamic fraternity in their simulation results, as 
well as the tunnel results, since obviously those don't tie up at all 
well. This move to basics however positive, its only measuring the 
overbody pressure, while the state of underbody pressures, or rather 
underpressure, where the problem and unknown really is, still remains 
unanswered, and isn't even on the research agenda, on newly organized 
Safety Institutes.
As Allan said, its enough to lift the nose or side slightly, and 
evidently of you go flying, and it all increased significantly after 
reduced DF measures introduction. Even stranger is, that noun has ever 
done any real time formation testing, nor any dynamic testing in the 
tunnels to establish and confirm the software findings before the 
application. Simple (and obviously wrong) simulation results where 
enough for them, and to make the matters worst, they made those 
decisions on safety grounds. To limit the speed in the speed sport is 
paradox in itself, but it goes worst still, by reducing DF, one reduces 
the adhesion at speed, which in my mind equals criminal negligence. 
Drivers on the other hand have no say in all this, yet their life and 
limb is in danger.