The plank, also known as the skid-block or flat-bottom, is at the heart of the paddock’s summer discussions. The resin axle that runs along the underbody of the single-seaters is in fact the subject of study by the Federation, which would like to limit its deformation to stem its exploitation by the teams for performance purposes, a flexion that at the same time increases the risk of triggering the porpoising. The intent of the FIA is to strengthen the current verification procedures on a component whose deformation on previous cars was less influential and whose control tests were therefore not free from imperfections.
Going into the merits of the debate, the greatest risk is that of misunderstanding the element under analysis. In fact, it is not the carbon fiber bottom visible on the outside on the sides of the car, which is also subject to deformations exploited by the teams. The bending of the carbon bottom, however, aims to bring the side edge closer to the ground, so as to recreate a miniskirt effect to seal the low-pressure area of the underbody from the external environment. The ultimate effect is a more effective process for load generation and in some contexts potentially the induction of bottom stall at high speeds to reduce drag on the straight. The component under discussion however is the plank, the axis previously made of wood that runs under the chassis along the central axis of the car, whose wear is measured at the end of the race to check compliance with the minimum ground clearance.
Although to a different extent, the teams would be able to exploit the low-pressure area of the underbody to “suck up the plank”, causing it to deform and bring it closer to the asphalt. In this way, a sort of third Venturi channel would be created, emphasizing the exploitation of the ground effect and increasing the load generated, while managing to limit the wear of the skid-block within the regulatory limits. The issue emerged decisively in 2022 as in the previous technical cycles the aerodynamics of the single-seaters pushed the teams towards the adoption of an accentuated rake set-up, with a conspicuous forward inclination of the car body to widen the outlet section of the diffuser and increase the load released. The plank was thus located at a greater average distance from the ground, limiting any benefits given by its bending.
Like any other component, the plank flexion is calibrated by the teams in the design and construction phase through the construction characteristics, production techniques and materials used. The FIA therefore wants to strengthen control procedures and verification tests to ensure that these techniques are performed respecting the design parameters prescribed by the technical regulations without resorting to illegal practices. The main tool available to the Federation is the drafting of a technical directive, which however can only provide clarifications regarding what is contained in the regulation, without the possibility of modifying it. For this reason, the intent of the FIA is not to impose new values, but to define more accurate flexibility tests to verify the effective compliance with the existing rules. Currently, the regulation provides for a maximum deformation of 1 or 2 mm at the various fixing points of the plank on which the car is suspended during the test, exempting large surfaces from checks. There are therefore margins for prescribing pre-established positions for the anchor points of the skid-block, whose positioning at the moment instead enjoys a fair amount of freedom, so as to define a standard for the verification procedures.
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