Q: What is Track Aero Consulting?
A: We are a consultancy and our mission is to provide everyday production track car enthusiasts with an economical service to optimize their cars aerodynamics using our extensive cfd, wind tunnel and track testing knowledge. This helps get your vehicle dialed in quickly without wasting time and money on actual wind tunnel testing, full vehicle cfd testing or the trial and error phase of track testing aero parts.
Q: How does your service work?
A: Our services are simple. You purchase our service, we then email you a link to a questionnaire, you supply the requested info in the questionnaire, we then review the material and create a written report identifying issues, making suggested changes, recommending setups, etc. Finally we create a google drive folder for your project and email you an access link to your report.
Q: Why do I need your service?
A: If you want to maximize the investment you’ve made in your aero setup and improve your vehicles performance our service is for you.
Q: Do you have any examples of how I could benefit from your service?
A: Example. Car A netted 202lbs of total downforce with a 52% front aero balance at 100mph but with a very aggressive rear wing angle. Adjusting that wing angle and adding a properly sized gurney flap netted a reduction of about 23 lbs of drag at 100mph. This could be a 2-4 mph gain at the end of some straightaways for some cars.
A: Example. Car B netted 404lbs of total downforce with a 3.5% front aero balance at 100mph. Classic example of a big rear wing and poor front aero likely causing significant understeer. Reworking the front aero and taking some rear wing angle out of it netted a 43% front aero balance and likely a much more neutral handling car.
A: Example. Car C netted 323lbs of total downforce with a 32% front aero balance at 100mph but has cooling issues. Adding good radiator inlet ducting and highly functional hood louvers netted 335lbs of total downforce with a 36% front aero balance and a 29% gain in radiator differential pressure for significant cooling improvements.
Q: I am interested in your consulting service. Which option is right for me?
A: We offer three main services. Our pre aero consulting option helps customers choose the right combination of aero parts prior to purchasing. Our aero consulting option helps customers on a budget optimize their existing aero setup by looking at the main areas of the vehicle. Our advanced aero consulting option helps customers optimize their existing aero setup by taking a more indepth look at the details of their vehicle and aero setup.
Q: I see you offer actual wind tunnel testing. Do I need that?
A: No. Our consulting services are here to optimize your aero package without the need for actual wind tunnel testing. However for those looking for the wind tunnel experience we do have a wind tunnel package which includes our advanced aero consulting so that your car is prepared prior to the tunnel thereby maximizing the use of the tunnel.
Q: I am about to purchase your consulting service. Do I need to purchase your follow up zoom call consult as well?
A: No. Our pre-aero, aero and advanced aero consulting options come with a written report outlining issues and solutions. If after reviewing your report you still have questions you can purchase our zoom consulting and we will schedule a consult time.
Q: Does adding a wing only help laptimes?
A: Yes, but only slightly. Adding a wing only will increase rear downforce but it will also create front lift due to the leverage effect. This will cause the vehicle to understeer and while there may be more total downforce the vehicle will only be slightly faster due to poor front to rear aerodynamic balance.
Q: Does adding a splitter only help laptimes?
A: Maybe but not likely. Adding a splitter only will increase front downforce but it will also create rear lift due to the leverage effect. This will cause the vehicle to oversteer and while there may be more total downforce the vehicle will likely not be any faster and in fact may be slower because driving a car at high speeds with oversteer can be a handful if not dangerous.
Q: Does adding a splitter and a wing together help laptimes?
A: Yes. Adding a front splitter and rear wing will increase front, rear and total downforce. While most people will not know exactly how much downforce there is or the aero balance, generally it will be decent enough to work with and there should be a good improvement in laptimes.
Q: Does adding a properly sized splitter and a properly sized wing further help laptimes?
A: Yes. Adding a properly sized front splitter and a properly sized rear wing will net an aero balanced car with good total downforce which helps maintain neutral handling and nets even faster laptimes.
Q: How do I know what size splitter, wing or other aero parts are right for my car?
A: That is where we come in. When using our consulting services we put our extensive wind tunnel and cfd data to work for you. We dont rely on generalizations found on the internet or people who claim to know what they are doing, we rely on our own extensive real world first hand knowledge.
Q: Why use Track Aero Consulting when I can read about aero on the internet?
A: While most people on the internet have some idea of aerodynamics, such that wings and splitters make downforce and improve lap times, most people have no idea of the actual downforce numbers and more importantly front to rear aerodynamic balance. Our customers benefit from our extensive wind tunnel and cfd data which helps get your vehicle up to speed quickly without wasting time and money on the trial and error phase or worse crutching the mechanics of the suspension to compensate for poor aerodynamics.
Q: Some companies sell complete aero kits. Can I still benefit from your service?
A: Yes. While there are many companies that make aero kits that include front and rear aero devices, most leave room for improvement, some significant. We have tested a huge assortment of aero parts and not all of them live up to the claims they come with.
Q: Does optimizing the cooling system help laptimes?
A: Yes. Generally air entering the interior of a vehicle is not good for aerodynamics but is necessary for powertrain cooling. So there needs to be a good balance between cooling and aerodynamics. Improving the efficiency of the cooling system allows for less air entering the car which improves aerodynamics and laptimes.
Q: I see you have a significant amount of data from two different wind tunnels as well as cfd and track testing. Is one source better than another?
A: We prefer multiple sources as this provides a wide range of data but our go to method is the A2 wind tunnel. Wind tunnels allow for the best real world conditions with the least room for error. We have done extensive testing of the test equipment, CFD v A2 wind tunnel v Aerodyne wind tunnel, so we can understand the pros and cons of each allowing us to use the more budget friendly A2 wind tunnel with the most accurate results. CFD is another good option but one needs to remember cfd is a simulation of the real world and relies heavily on full car scans, wheel well scans and underbody scans as well as input and assumptions by the software user for accuracy which can vary significantly from the typical diy’er to a professional, we exclusively use former Mercedes F1 lead aerodynamisist JKF Aero for the most accurate cfd data. Track testing is another option but variables such as ambient temperature changes, track condition changes, lap traffic, tire degradation all make it hard, track testing is more about dialing in the mechanics of the suspension after the aerodynamics are optimized.
Q: Why Track Aero Consulting and not some other consultancy company?
A: In short, we have the most real world data on the most aero devices on the most cars using the most modern test methods and our data is geared toward what our clients drive, production track cars with common aero devices. Our portfolio speaks for itself.
Q: Is Track Aero Consulting worth the investment?
A: Definitely.