What if the major American aerospace companies (NASA, Lockheed Martin, Boeing, etc.) was invited by the FIA to build a competitive F1 car?

[Joseph Kerman]

As the title says, how would it go, assuming they had no time limit?

[kerbiloid]

Spoiler

It would be the biggest F-1 car ever.

 

[YNM]

^^ THAT ^^

 

But IMO, either the same or always on proposal.

[p1t1o]

Disappointingly, I think it would go the same as any new F1 team.

What do aerospace companies or NASA have that Ferrari, Red Bull or Mercedes dont? Its not like F1 teams are in the habit of hiring mediocre engineers/scientists/drivers or cutting corners on their cars to save costs.

The technology in current F1 cars is cutting-edge already and its not like NASA keep a hoard of secret super-special technologies like fuels to make cars 20% faster or aerodynamic techniques that cut drag in half. Alright, I mean I assume they dont keep such a hoard...

If anything, aerospace/NASA would suffer from a lack of experience in building F1 cars - for example, what do aerospace companies know about racing tyres or kinetic energy recovery? Im sure they can develop their own, but experience counts for a lot.

I suppose given no time limit, that they'd be able to be competetive though, they would certainly have access to things like wind tunnel facilities and supercomputer time - but it would be a mistake to assume that other teams dont already have these things.

[Kerbart]

It would take them five years to come up with a concept for the design. Then another eight years to design their first car. The cockpit will be delivered three years after that, but it will fail testing and needs to be redesigned—another two years. It is at this point that they discover that the rest of the car was made to interface with the old design, so another six years will be added to the project. 

Finally, in 2042, they will unveil their 2018 F1 racing car.

All joking aside, F1 design is exceptionally competitive and fast paced, and “innovate or die” (look at where Williams is right now, and they were once unbeatable). The business these aerospace companies are in is the exact opposite. No competition, and emphasis is on safety and getting things to work, not on gambling the future on design innovations. Just like an F1 team would be bad at designing rockets, a Boeing F1 team would do bad.

 

[MaverickSawyer]

Lockheed... The car wouldn't show up on radar and would be the fastest on the track. Would be disqualified for using a gas turbine / electric hybrid drivetrain.

Boeing: would have respectable fuel economy, but would be too heavy and would seat four.

NASA: Kerbart beat me to it.

DARPA: what F1 car? You don't see any F1 car.

Northrup Grumman: would decline to enter themselves, but would give their slot to...

Scaled Composites: the most unusual but effective design of the bunch. DQ'd for being TOO good.

[Kernel Kraken]

6 hours ago, MaverickSawyer said:

 

Northrup Grumman: would decline to enter themselves, but would give their slot to...

 

I thought theirs wouldn't show up on radar and/or dispense munitions at enemy racers from a concealed bay.

I just realized the only difference between NG's stealthy aircraft and LM's is one makes fighters and the other makes bombers. I just described both an F-22 and a B-2/ B-21...

 

[YNM]

9 minutes ago, Kernel Kraken said:

I thought theirs wouldn't show up on radar and/or dispense munitions at enemy racers from a concealed bay.

 

[qzgy]

14 minutes ago, Kernel Kraken said:

I thought theirs wouldn't show up on radar and/or dispense munitions at enemy racers from a concealed bay.

I just realized the only difference between NG's stealthy aircraft and LM's is one makes fighters and the other makes bombers. I just described both an F-22 and a B-2/ B-21...

 

In fairness the F-117 (Lockheed) was more of a bomber and they also did enter the competition for the B-2 with a slightly different design that lost (cause I think politics or so)

[MaverickSawyer]

The reason I said that NG would drop out is because they recently pulled out of two competitive bids to focus on the B-21 Raider program, including a lucrative bid to provide the USAF with its next-generation advanced trainer. They were a front runner... until they suddenly and inexplicably pulled out.

Then we found out about the Raider, and it all clicked.

[Joseph Kerman]

9 hours ago, MaverickSawyer said:

Lockheed... The car wouldn't show up on radar and would be the fastest on the track. Would be disqualified for using a gas turbine / electric hybrid drivetrain.

Boeing: would have respectable fuel economy, but would be too heavy and would seat four.

NASA: Kerbart beat me to it.

DARPA: what F1 car? You don't see any F1 car.

Northrup Grumman: would decline to enter themselves, but would give their slot to...

Scaled Composites: the most unusual but effective design of the bunch. DQ'd for being TOO good.

F1's today use V6 Hybrid drivetrains

[dangerhamster]

It would only be able to turn left.

[YNM]

3 hours ago, dangerhamster said:

... only be able to turn left.

YES ! XD

5 hours ago, Joseph Kerman said:

F1's today use V6 Hybrid drivetrains

Yeah, KERS.

I guess NASA will just come up with a better flywheel.

[XB-70A]

If we can count Cessna and Piper (also a loyal representative of the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace) in the "etc" options, their F1 would be archaic, consuming more, but with more numerical displays and information available to the drivers pilots. However, P&W should not be considered for motorization... Lycoming being the best (a bit archaic, but the best).

[MaverickSawyer]

6 hours ago, XB-70A said:

If we can count Cessna and Piper (also a loyal representative of the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace) in the "etc" options, their F1 would be archaic, consuming more, but with more numerical displays and information available to the drivers pilots. However, P&W should not be considered for motorization... Lycoming being the best (a bit archaic, but the best).

Puh-LEEEZ. Continental motors are far superior. 

[53miner53]

It would probably be more efficient, but slower. And former astronauts or test pilots would drive it. 

[Dman979]

It would go 17,150 MPH and take 45 minutes to finish one lap.

[Delay]

16 minutes ago, Dman979 said:

It would go 17,150 MPH and take 45 minutes to finish one lap.

Reformulate that a bit and it could be a riddle!

[KSK]

On 4/27/2018 at 10:08 PM, MaverickSawyer said:

Northrup Grumman: would decline to enter themselves, but would give their slot to...

*deleted* Potential thread derailer and not as funny as I thought it was anyway.

Sorry.

Edited May 15, 2018 by KSK