Formula 1 racing, CFD, and Wind Tunnels

HPC Wire has a great article on the rules for computational fluid dynamics and wind tunnel testing in Formula 1 racing. It's surprising to learn the sports' governing body restricts CFD usage to 25 teraflops. Racing directors have complained about the restrictions, feeling it inhibits the use of the best techology and pushes things back by ten years.

Restrictions are in place for wind tunnel usage as well, and some have advocated for moving entirely toward CFD-only testing. However, an analysis by one team principal didn't find a huge cost savings in doing away with wind tunnels, and predicts the money would merely shift to the CFD. As well the racing community would have a hard time seeing the phasing out of wind tunnels, a long-preferred tool for racing teams.

As for the CFD controls, some have proposed shifting the rules from restricting teraflops toward controling energy bandwidth, giving teams more freedom over their computing setups.

Read the full article: "Formula One Contemplates CFD-Only Future"

And for another read on the topic:

"Is an F1 wind tunnel ban realistic? Technical chiefs remain sceptical of change"