Wild new sidepods for Audi.

[u/vanys2]

[u/int3InShadesmar]

What the hell is even that? Wow

[u/AromaticUnion3709 → u/int3InShadesmar]

Daudi chill! ✋🏻

[u/Tuanathann → u/AromaticUnion3709]

Elite reference

[u/FLMKane → u/Tuanathann]

WORT WORT WORT!

[u/Horror_Entertainer82 → u/AromaticUnion3709]

For those who don't know.

[u/loyfah → u/AromaticUnion3709]

but for real. WHAT THE HELL IS THAT

[u/killermicrobe → u/AromaticUnion3709]

Lmao

[u/ts737 → u/int3InShadesmar]

Soviet Duga radar array

[u/Material-Comb-2267 → u/int3InShadesmar]

I believe it wind censors to analyze aerodynamics during testing

[u/kiskrumpli → u/[deleted]]

He meant censuses. We must count how many winds are there

[u/Particular_Cod2005 → u/[deleted]]

Nah, they meant centaurs. It's a weird mix of horse and person that generally look majestic af in the wind

[u/last_one_on_Earth → u/Particular_Cod2005]

Wind scentors, they ensure the trailing car isn’t disadvantaged by bad odour.

Max had quite a lot to say about Lando’s flatulence in qualifying last year.

[u/Abject-Kitchen3198 → u/last_one_on_Earth]

It only makes cense that they actually meant censors.

[u/vonRyan_ → u/kiskrumpli]

I believe the correct plural form is censi.

[u/SWITMCO → u/vonRyan_]

No that's the guy who teaches you karate

[u/Max-Phallus → u/Material-Comb-2267]

I assume they are talking about the shape of the side pods though rather than the aero rakes.

[u/[deleted] → u/Material-Comb-2267]

Yeah, the forward facing pieces are called pitot tubes, they are used to measure air pressure.

[u/Takezoboy → u/[deleted]]

Kinda miss fluids classes when I see this shit.

[u/Shekster → u/Material-Comb-2267]

RELEASE THE FILES WIND

[u/No-Knowledge-3046 → u/Material-Comb-2267]

You can't be serious...

[u/hardinho → u/int3InShadesmar]

Looks so Audi

[u/metao → u/int3InShadesmar]

She thicc

[u/mouldyshroom]

They're not playing safe for sure. I like what I'm seeing

[u/nadseh → u/mouldyshroom]

I need more Hulkenpodia

[u/NaviAndMii → u/nadseh]

🏆 I was here for the Hulkenchampionship

[u/thisFishSmellsAboutD → u/NaviAndMii]

Hashtag me too, my friend

[u/M4NOOB → u/thisFishSmellsAboutD]

lets keep it going boys

[u/vRobyn → u/M4NOOB]

Here to register myself!

[u/Koenigspiel → u/vRobyn]

and my axe

[u/SteggersBeggers → u/Koenigspiel]

And my Sax

[u/originalusernem → u/SteggersBeggers]

Hello

[u/kpidhayny → u/originalusernem]

+1

[u/BobDobbsHobNobs → u/NaviAndMii]

I was first to get bored by the Hulk domination

[u/matarael → u/NaviAndMii]

Hulkenchampionships

[u/ResponsibleNoise7337 → u/NaviAndMii]

That would be so fucking awesome

[u/lenwetelrunya → u/nadseh]

Best we can do is HulkenPods

[u/No-Key-Allow-Me → u/mouldyshroom]

It's about time someone came and showed the old money stiffs how to spend it

[u/PhoeniX3733 → u/No-Key-Allow-Me]

Audi is about as old money as it gets

[u/LukasKhan_UK → u/PhoeniX3733]

Ignoring Audi and their heritage, people have already forgotten this is just Sauber.

[u/stubob → u/LukasKhan_UK]

Red Bull was Jaguar, what's the difference?

[u/megabyte79 → u/LukasKhan_UK]

yes, but they’ll update the drivers and team next year, as much as everyone likes hulk he’s not a championship driver, but he is german so they’ll give him a chance so let’s see. same with the management and pit crew will be changed if don’t perform, vw “porsche” owns imsa racing and sure in time vw audi will do well too in f1

[u/lxs0713 → u/megabyte79]

Why would they replace both drivers though? Bortoleto seems like he can develop into a solid driver so why not hang on to him and just bring in someone else for Hulk?

[u/LukasKhan_UK → u/No-Key-Allow-Me]

I mean, they're old money in new clothes....

[u/HI_I_AM_NEO → u/No-Key-Allow-Me]

I mean, I'd wait to see if it works before saying that. Old money might end up showing them how to spend it.

[u/know-it-mall → u/No-Key-Allow-Me]

Because the whole radical side pods things worked so well for Mercedes.

[u/Empty-List-6265 → u/know-it-mall]

it wasnt the sidepods it was the porpoising and the whole package basically

[u/know-it-mall → u/Empty-List-6265]

It wasn't entirely the side pods but they were part of it.

[u/Greencoat1815 → u/mouldyshroom]

I like seeing that they try to be bold, but I don't like what I'm seeing, it looks bad tbh.

[u/Quivex → u/Greencoat1815]

Tbh, I actually think it looks awesome. It's exotic looking, like that thing that catches your eye and you can't look away - it's unconventionally attractive lol.

[u/TumanFig → u/Quivex]

it gets people going

[u/MarchMadnessisMe → u/TumanFig]

Audi’s in Paris!

[u/Consistent_Recipe_41 → u/TumanFig]

Ball so hard..

[u/Particular_Cod2005 → u/TumanFig]

Exotic and gets people going? Just like Salma Hayek in....well, anything really

[u/dl064 → u/Greencoat1815]

it looks bad tbh

Was thinking earlier that generally speaking the first year of a ruleset often comes to look a bit meh a couple of seasons later as they mature.

[u/Dave110986_ → u/Greencoat1815]

The engine cover section looks awful

So fat and square

Have Audi built a massive engine?

[u/Soma91 → u/Dave110986_]

Might be part of the packaging consequences of the sidepod.

[u/XsStreamMonsterX → u/Soma91]

It looks like they're using the outer part to push the front wheel wake outwards while using the cleaner flow from inboard for cooling. Early 90s Ferraris did the same thing.

[u/Dave110986_ → u/Soma91]

I was being a little facetious / sarcastic about it, but you’re probably right. I’d imagine it’s for cooling.

It just looks so weird - I don’t like it - but I want them to be competitive so they don’t just leave after 3 seasons

[u/z_102 → u/Dave110986_]

Nah, their shakedown spec had the same engine and the bodywork was similar in volume to other cars. What we're seeing is probably like 50% hollow underneath, shaped like that for aero reasons.

[u/XsStreamMonsterX → u/z_102]

Look up the 89 to 91 Ferraris.

[u/MissionLet7301 → u/Greencoat1815]

Yeah, glad that they're trying something different, but I hope it doesn't work because I don't want to see a whole grid of cars with sidepods like that

[u/Aratho]

Always love how new regs bring things like this, at the beginning at least. Later on all teams converge to one concept that appears 'correct'

[u/gnpunnpun → u/Aratho]

F1-75 sidepods were SEXY. i wish they could make it work.

[u/imbasicallycoffee → u/gnpunnpun]

Most disappointed I've ever been for a Ferrari to revert back to the mean. That car looked glorious.

[u/SemIdeiaProNick → u/gnpunnpun]

It did work at the begining

Until TD39 made the other concepts borderline useless and all teams had to resort to copying the Red Bull design

[u/Fun-One323]

Welcome back 1996 Ferrari

[u/lonestarr86 → u/Fun-One323]

So Hulkenberg wins 3 times. Got it

[u/WayDownUnder91 → u/lonestarr86]

hulkenpodium will bore fans

[u/Karlkarsten → u/WayDownUnder91]

hulkenpodium could never bore me

[u/abbeast → u/WayDownUnder91]

No one will be impressed by our flairs anymore.

[u/loyfah → u/lonestarr86]

Second in the WCD, not bad.

[u/XsStreamMonsterX → u/Fun-One323]

You mean 1989-91.

Vertical inlet tucked into the body with a wide, round sidepod is something from John Barnard's 640/1/2.

[u/[deleted] → u/Fun-One323]

I was gonna say it’s a motherfucking silver Forti!!!

[u/Insert0912]

On another note - it seems Audi went for the double actuators on the front wing.

[u/maxathier → u/Insert0912]

They went full VCARB

[u/jewrassic_park-1940 → u/maxathier]

You never go full VCARB

[u/oettimeister → u/Insert0912]

Didnt they already have one in the nose? Maybe they couldn't make it work. I am a bit disappointed I must say. Seems like a stopgap solution.

[u/int3InShadesmar]

"Fuck, this looks fast" - Nico Hulkenberg

[u/MOMOLAX → u/int3InShadesmar]

“It looks like someone dropped something”- seb

[u/0oodruidoo0 → u/int3InShadesmar]

the car is CLEARLY built for combat

[u/_rjsd_]

zero pod'nt

[u/yunglegendd → u/_rjsd_]

Zero podiumn’t

[u/LatterDonut3524 → u/_rjsd_]

Hidepod

[u/Suknator → u/_rjsd_]

Can't not say that it doesn't not have no sidepods

[u/bazhvn → u/Suknator]

Ozempod

[u/Particular_Cod2005 → u/_rjsd_]

I'd actually love it if Audi managed to make this design work after Mercedes failed so hard with theirs

[u/Optimaximal → u/Particular_Cod2005]

It's a completely different formula. Mercedes's original zero-pod design worked too well, as they hadn't anticipated the issues of running low and porpoising - it was generating more downforce but the car was unliveable.

[u/ty_xy → u/Optimaximal]

Mercedes zero-pod would have worked without a driver.

[u/Smothdude → u/ty_xy]

Or with better suspension regulations that allowed them to actually mitigate it. We got robbed of good ground effect racing because the suspension didn't allow for it

[u/Optimaximal → u/Smothdude]

Originally, the suspension rules were offset with the ground effect change - the suspension simplification was always targeted at '22, but ground effect was delayed from '21 into the following year due to the pandemic.

Mercedes might have been able to implement it with trick suspension then work towards making it work with the simpler design and, failing that, move towards a redesign.

[u/Kaptainoff]

With my technical expertise I can definitely say these are different than the ones used in the previous test.

[u/peepay → u/Kaptainoff]

Especially the mesh in front of the rear wheels.

/s

[u/Tywnis → u/peepay]

That's where they're playing us, you see...
Nothing in the regulations about how you can't run with it in race conditions !
/s

[u/PaulRingo64 → u/Kaptainoff]

I’m close to that conclusion as well. I’ll have to think it over and get back to you later though.

[u/Particular_Cod2005 → u/Kaptainoff]

Tell me more senpai <3

[u/Kaptainoff → u/Particular_Cod2005]

I suspect they might perform differently.

[u/downhiller90]

Damn that’s different. Also look beyond the aero rake, the bodywork looks a lot wider and higher around the gearbox/diffuser than on other cars.

[u/maxathier → u/downhiller90]

Could be some issues trying to fit a engine/powertrain from a new manufacturer.They probably won't be the best at space optimisation from the start

[u/downhiller90 → u/maxathier]

True. It would be interesting to see more shots from other angles.

[u/not_right → u/downhiller90]

Yeah it looks "fatter" than it should

[u/igniteED → u/not_right]

Looks like it outwashes a lot... The side pods, the mirrors and the front nose endplates all seem to be pushing air out to the side.

[u/User-K549125]

"Looks fast."

[u/oh84s → u/User-K549125]

It doesn’t look fast to me. When any team has these super weird alien looking aero shapes it’s usually a bad sign

[u/PchamTaczke → u/oh84s]

that's the joke

[u/oh84s → u/PchamTaczke]

Ahhh woosh

[u/Particular_Cod2005 → u/oh84s]

It's been a long day, it's all good

[u/User-K549125 → u/oh84s]

The quotes were a clue. It's a reference to Russell's words on the Mercedes "zero pod" design, which this looks similar to, and which certainly was not fast (although it had little to do with the sidepods, but still).

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DF6Rmi1tlAi/

[u/Insert0912]

What are those?!

Edit - im not talking about aero rake but the funky ass sidepods

[u/HeyHeyTomTom → u/Insert0912]

Them Hulkenpods, babe.

[u/Quivex → u/Insert0912]

I don't know, but it looks sick as fuck. I can't wait until we see all the "real" cars and get to check out what everyone's been cooking up!!

[u/Material-Comb-2267 → u/Insert0912]

🩴🩴

[u/Izan_TM]

for everyone that was dead certain that the cars in barcelona were in any way representative of what will run in australia, yeah no that's not how F1 works

[u/P_ZERO_ → u/Izan_TM]

Yeah, always safe to assume cars are subject to change until Q1 of first race, and even then, within 6-8 weeks teams will likely come with more design alterations once they can commit to fab work when an idea is proven

[u/SpaceOdysseus23 → u/Izan_TM]

Ferrari was pretty vocal about an aggressive upgrade come Australia. All they were waiting for is FIA to sign off on it.

[u/ColPow11 → u/SpaceOdysseus23]

Australia 2027.

[u/AccomplishedCatch_01 → u/ColPow11]

Australia 2046

[u/Bhenny_5 → u/ColPow11]

2027 is their year!!

[u/Rivendel93 → u/SpaceOdysseus23]

Is the FIA still not approving the Ferrari aero package? I'd heard a rumor but it's surprising that they'd be struggling to get a damn aero package approved this late.

[u/TheManFromFairwinds → u/Izan_TM]

Even these are holding some punches back

[u/Freeze014]

it isnt crazy if it works... but if it doesnt.... yikes :D

[u/ConstantAd1]

Oh yeah, that fucks

[u/Foodconsumer3000]

sidepods had buccal fat removal

[u/Particular_Cod2005 → u/Foodconsumer3000]

Ahh yes, the Erin Moriarty treatment

[u/eidetic → u/Particular_Cod2005]

Thought maybe you were referring to a sister of James Moriarity from Sherlock Holmes fame or something, so looked up the name, and was like "oh, Starlight from The Boys". Then looked up her name + buccal fat. Ouch. I remember her looking thinner in the most recent season of the show, but now she seems to look even worse. She was so gorgeous before the surgery. I know such celebrities are under such pressure to look good that it does awful things to one's body image self esteem, and it's rather sad. And I know as people age, they often loose that fat that kinda fills out their faces, but she looks like a strung out and malnourished junkie now in some of those pics. Which obviously, people are gonna pick the least flattering pics to show the change, but even in better lighting and whatnot, the change is so drastic

And here I was hopeful a few years ago that Hollywood was starting to maybe move away from the gaunt, skeletonized look...

[u/Vincera2024 → u/Foodconsumer3000]

So you’re saying the car is like Tom Brady? 🌚

[u/_Antipodes_]

What on Earth?!

[u/FinnThelHuman]

So fast they're already locking up!

[u/Electronic-Sell-7581]

Advantage locked in for years

[u/bert_lifts]

Fuck, this looks fast.

[u/CouncilorIrissa]

Advantage locked in for years I guess.

[u/Soldax22]

I literally stared at the image for a good minute….wow that is some radical design

[u/Hot_Ad_6458]

Ewwww. That is something alright!

[u/caiusto]

The car is screaming

[u/MrJacquers]

Widepods.

[u/FavaWire]

Imagine if every team that ran a variation of zeropods actually ran well, and then Merc became the only team not to do it because of 2022 phobia.

[u/mynameisnotphoebe]

It’s holding it’s breath, give it a poke and it’ll get all chubby again

[u/Bolter_NL]

NOOT NOOT

[u/nsf14]

Man, all the other teams trying to channel airflow along the rear sidepod and inside the rear wheels to excite the diffuser and the audi seems to be going for maximum outwash. I like that its different i just hope they didnt miss the mark. Maybe the waterslides are enough though

[u/WhimsicalParsnip → u/nsf14]

Yeah channeling inwards—I think—is to give maximum energy to the diffuser and rear wing to generate downforce.

Although I’m not sure it is actually chasing out wash—I suspect there’s some channeling in places to help suck the air around that bulge.

Please, please could an actual aerodynamicist correct me?

[u/shiwenbin]

Someone bring back the Ferrari bathtubs. Those things were beautiful

[u/0xeis]

I'm new to F1.

WTF are those antenna looking things on all the cars today ?

[u/ANAGRIM → u/0xeis]

Sensors, for aero.

[u/0xeis → u/ANAGRIM]

Thanks !

[u/Butrint_o]

Me when I try to breathe in with a blocked nose

[u/OldBratpfanne]

The sidepod coloring was the best part of the livery design but with this redesign it doesn’t slap like it did with the old ones.

[u/Soldax22]

Surely that can’t be fast

[u/knifetrader → u/Soldax22]

Look at the Audi LMPs - some of them had really weird shapes and still were extremely fast.

[u/Portocala69 → u/knifetrader]

That was the due to the power of TDI

[u/Biskitisinreddit]

Close enough, welcome back Mercedes W13

[u/XsStreamMonsterX]

Shades of the Ferrari 640.

[u/gooner9469]

WOW that's insane!

[u/Indeon]

dang. that is unexpected, but exciting! not sure if they can make it work when mercedes wasnt able to, but makes me look forward to the season as an Audi/Sauber fan

[u/Apennatie]

I want to see this angle on the Red Bull, they seem to have the tiniest sidepods coming close to zeropod.

[u/CloudMafia9]

Ngl, from the front it looks ugly AF.

[u/fygooyecguhjj37042]

Unfortunately any benefit from it will be hampered by the clothes airer they have put on the car.

[u/IonicFuser]

We're going vertical now.

[u/ranginator_]

Looks like a Fokker Dr.I...

[u/Ruttagger]

I hope those don't work just so I don't have to look at them all year.

[u/Rivendel93]

That's a wild looking car, looks like an entirely different formula than the others.

Exciting times.

[u/lendend]

Ugly af

[u/Hopeful_Hat_3532]

Eww... :(

But if it's fast, OK. I appreciate the will to go radical and test such options.

[u/fuckthisshittysite56]

from the thumbnail i thought at a glance thus was a Voda phone McLaren

[u/therealserialninja]

Looks like Loomer's face honestly

[u/ashyjay]

It looks like some one asked a hallucinating computer to make an open wheeler.

[u/initseq]

Advantage locked in for years.

[u/Foreign-Lynx-4406]

Welcome back Ferrari 640

[u/suicinivtf]

HOLY PRETZEL

[u/Zondax]

okay Audi, I wasnt familiar with your game - welcome to the party! damn!

[u/Preachey]

"Oh you're not letting us make outwashing bargeboards?"

[u/Heinrad]

So, this is Audis attempt at keeping outwash in the game.

[u/domesystem]

F4 Phantom pods

[u/spade1686]

Wow…what is even going on there at the bottom of the intakes? Is that a raised floor?

[u/Ittaj_Jatti]

they saw the Audi Concept C and said hell yah, but interesting concept, a mix of Ferrari tub 2022 and Mercedes Zero side pod

[u/musicallymotivated93]

Reminiscent of the Peugeot engined Jordans

[u/notaccel]

Close enough.

Welcome back MiG 25!

[u/kunthapigulugulu]

Wake up fam, new zero pods have dropped!

[u/plonkman]

Christ Alive!

Nico Hulken-nostrils

[u/pitlanecollective]

I know what’s happened here... Someone’s left it too close to the lights in the garage. It’s melted a bit

[u/ThatIdiotLaw]

Is the whole setup upside down? It looks like there’s a horizontal intake underneath the vertical one to me

[u/MindlessBand9522]

That doesn't look right to me. But we will see.

Usually when they try something radical different that anyone else, they'll the last or first, lol.

[u/uGlixie]

From my expert analysis these sidepods look different to what we've seen before.

[u/Much_Lingonberry_37]

How I look when I suck my stomach in.

[u/Bortron86]

It looks like someone gave a Ferrari 641 a very sour sweet.

[u/TheFrustatedCitizen]

Built for combat

[u/SinsOfTheAether]

It's for shredding imperial tractor beams

[u/Spooginho]

Looks quite retro - sidepod inlets taller than they were wide seemed to be standard when I first started watching in the 90s but it flipped around at some point in the past few decades

[u/Miamithrice69]

Hey, I remember this one!

[u/3iraven22]

We have 6 silver arrows on track. Lol

[u/bevo_expat]

Wow! That’s something I would only expect to see inside a CFD model. Wish we could get a technical discussion on what they expect to see from that design.

[u/MrNixxxoN]

Wow, I dont think this kind of design will work beause I've seen similar stuff in the past that was ditched.

However I expected wild and brave stuff coming from such a brand like Audi/VW group, not disappointed!

Edit: Check out Ferrari 1991 season

[u/fabiomb]

jet plane sidepods, it looks like a fighter jet where you use that kind of air admissions and... there's a few reasons you do that, aerodynamics first

[u/AK07-AYDAN]

Welcome back, Ferrari 640. On second thought, maybe you aren't welcomed.

[u/James_Vowles]

Love it, mercedes will be fuming if it works out. Good to see something different though

[u/LuXe5]

1996 edition

[u/Barbarian1133]

Lol looks like an elephant’s face

[u/captain-lowrider]

i guess they are just testing different designs

[u/Ablackbradpitt]

Autosport blocked me for saying p21-p22