3 ms·

I get that he’s not going to slide off the track, but I don’t understand how he wouldn’t be slowed by the friction of the side of his car against the wall, thou

I get that he’s not going to slide off the track, but I don’t understand how he wouldn’t be slowed by the friction of the side of his car against the wall, though

crooked-v 4y ago
He is slowed, but the other drivers are slowed more by the need to keep traction in the turn.
ehsankia 4y ago
nitro_force - friction_force > max_force_before_you_slip_on_that_turn
- swader999 4y ago
  I bet he was close to passing out on that turn, much like a fighter jet pilot can experience when they pull too many g's in a turn.
bagels 4y ago
Speed through the turn is limited by lateral forces. The wall can provide more lateral force than the tires can. Yes, there's friction, but the cars are fiberglass, it's pretty slippery against a smooth painted wall (and they have a ton of power).
LanceH 4y ago
During the course of the race bits of rubber come off the tires and form what is basically a rubbery gravel. The racing line is cleared of it by the passage of the cars. Get down too low or up too high and you start sliding like you would on gravel. So he went high, accepted the slippery-ness and used the wall to keep him going the right direction as he kept the pedal down. On the racing line, even with a clean track, they still need grip to turn -- he didn't. Also to note that as it is the end of the race, they aren't on fresh tires and probably most/all of the field didn't have the full grip they would during other portions of the race.
stubish 4y ago
He is slowed down by the friction of the side of his car against the wall. And probably by bits of his car being torn away as it slowly disintegrates. But the engines on these cars are powerful and can easily overcome those effects.
- shultays 4y ago
  They should add wheels on sides as well to reduce lateral wall frictions!
  - mcv 4y ago
    I'm not sure small wheels would really be an improvement, and large wheels would weigh a lot. So it's entirely possible that a smooth surface is actually the best approach here.
  - snappr021 4y ago
    2 Skateboard wheels embedded in the bodywork, to touch the wall front and rear, and off to the races.

I get that he’s not going to slide off the track, but I don’t understand how he wouldn’t be slowed by the friction of the side of his car against the wall, though

crooked-v 4y ago

He is slowed, but the other drivers are slowed more by the need to keep traction in the turn.

ehsankia 4y ago

nitro_force - friction_force > max_force_before_you_slip_on_that_turn

swader999 4y ago
I bet he was close to passing out on that turn, much like a fighter jet pilot can experience when they pull too many g's in a turn.

bagels 4y ago

Speed through the turn is limited by lateral forces. The wall can provide more lateral force than the tires can. Yes, there's friction, but the cars are fiberglass, it's pretty slippery against a smooth painted wall (and they have a ton of power).

LanceH 4y ago

During the course of the race bits of rubber come off the tires and form what is basically a rubbery gravel. The racing line is cleared of it by the passage of the cars. Get down too low or up too high and you start sliding like you would on gravel. So he went high, accepted the slippery-ness and used the wall to keep him going the right direction as he kept the pedal down. On the racing line, even with a clean track, they still need grip to turn -- he didn't. Also to note that as it is the end of the race, they aren't on fresh tires and probably most/all of the field didn't have the full grip they would during other portions of the race.

stubish 4y ago

He is slowed down by the friction of the side of his car against the wall. And probably by bits of his car being torn away as it slowly disintegrates. But the engines on these cars are powerful and can easily overcome those effects.

shultays 4y ago
They should add wheels on sides as well to reduce lateral wall frictions!
- mcv 4y ago
  I'm not sure small wheels would really be an improvement, and large wheels would weigh a lot. So it's entirely possible that a smooth surface is actually the best approach here.
- snappr021 4y ago
  2 Skateboard wheels embedded in the bodywork, to touch the wall front and rear, and off to the races.