Kinetic energy recovery systemA kinetic energy recovery system (KERS) is an automotive system for recovering a moving vehicle's kinetic energyunder braking. The recovered energy is stored in a reservoir (for example a flywheel or high voltage batteries) for later use under acceleration.
Formula OneMotorsport championship held worldwideMalaysian Grand Prix, 2010Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel, single-seater formula racing cars run by the Formula One Group and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one of the world's premier forms of motorsport since its inaugural running in 1950 and is often considered to be the pinnacle of motorsport.
Semi-automatic transmissionA semi-automatic transmission is a multiple-speed transmission where part of its operation is automated (typically the actuation of the clutch), but the driver's input is still required to accelerate the vehicle from a standstill and to manually change gears. Semi-automatic transmissions were almost exclusively used in motorcycles and are based on conventional manual transmissions or sequential manual transmissions, but use an automatic clutch system.
Ground effect (cars)In car design, ground effect is a series of effects that have been exploited in automotive aerodynamics to create downforce, particularly in racing cars, through underbody tunnels and floor design. This has been the successor to the earlier dominant aerodynamic focus on streamlining. The international Formula One series and American racing IndyCars employ ground effects in their engineering and designs.
Mid-engine designAutomobile design in which the engine is placed between the front and rear axles Auto Union Typ C rear-mid engine rear-wheel-drive Grand Prix racing car, 1937 Since 1961 all Formula One cars use rear-mid engine rear-wheel-drive design In automotive engineering, a mid-engine layout is the placement of an automobile combustion engine between the front and rear axles rather than on an axle (between the front wheels in most cars) or even beyond one, like in the rear-engine Porsche 911.
V6 engineA V6 engine is a six-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders and cylinder blocks share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration. The first V6 engines were designed and produced independently by Marmon Motor Car Company, Deutz Gasmotoren Fabrik and Delahaye. Engines built after World War II include the Lancia V6 engine in 1950 for the Lancia Aurelia, and the Buick V6 engine in 1962 for the Buick Special.
Racing slickA racing slick or slick tyre is a type of tyre that has a smooth tread used mostly in auto racing. The first production slick tyre was developed by M&H Tires in the early 1950s for use in drag racing. By eliminating any grooves cut into the tread, such tyres provide the largest possible contact patch to the road, and maximize dry traction for any given tyre dimension.
SteeringSteering is the control of the direction of motion or the components that enable its control. Steering is achieved through various arrangements, among them ailerons for airplanes, rudders for boats, cylic tilting of rotors for helicopters, and many more.
MonocoqueMonocoque ( ), also called structural skin, is a structural system in which loads are supported by an object's external skin, in a manner similar to an egg shell. The word monocoque is a French term for "single shell". First used for boats, a true monocoque carries both tensile and compressive forces within the skin and can be recognised by the absence of a load-carrying internal frame.
Transmission (mechanical device)A transmission (also called a gearbox) is a mechanical device which uses a gear set—two or more gears working together—to change the speed, direction of rotation, or torque multiplication or reduction, in a machine. It was invented by Louis Renault (the founder of Renault).
G-forceThe g-force or gravitational force equivalent is a mass-specific force (force per unit mass), expressed in units of standard gravity (symbol g or g0, not to be confused with "g", the symbol for grams). It is used for sustained accelerations that cause a perception of weight. For example, an object at rest on Earth's surface is subject to 1 g, equaling the conventional value of gravitational acceleration on Earth, about 9.8 m/s2.
Carbon fiber reinforced polymerCarbon fiber (or fibre) reinforced polymers are extremely strong and light fiber-reinforced plastics that contain carbon fibers. CFRPs can be expensive to produce, but are commonly used wherever high strength-to-weight ratio and stiffness (rigidity) are required, such as aerospace, superstructures of ships, automotive, civil engineering, sports equipment, and an increasing number of consumer and technical applications.
TurbochargerIn an internal combustion engine, a turbocharger (also known as a turbo or, formerly, a turbosupercharger) is a forced induction device that compresses the intake air, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.