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F1 Aerodynamics

Applied CFD & Best Practices for Motorsport

Shubham Sangodkar and Punith Gowda

Course Introduction:This course is designed such that , students will explore and apply the fundamental principles of CFD  in motorsports, gaining practical insights into its application in aerodynamic simulation and analysis, vehicle performance optimization, and design validation.

Each section of the course is crafted to provide a balance of theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience, ensuring that students are exposed to the hidden realities of CFD application in the world of motorsports.

Key Topics Covered:

Read more

Course Introduction:This course is designed such that , students will explore and apply the fundamental principles of CFD  in motorsports, gaining practical insights into its application in aerodynamic simulation and analysis, vehicle performance optimization, and design validation.

Each section of the course is crafted to provide a balance of theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience, ensuring that students are exposed to the hidden realities of CFD application in the world of motorsports.

Key Topics Covered:

    1. Fundamentals of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD): Understand the core principles and equations governing fluid flow simulations, including discretization methods and numerical techniques used in CFD.

    2. Application of CFD in Motorsports: Explore how CFD is applied specifically in the context of motorsports engineering, including aerodynamic analysis, vehicle performance optimization, and design validation.

    3. Geometry Preparation and Mesh Generation: Learn how to prepare geometry for simulation, generate high-quality meshes, and optimize mesh resolution for accurate and efficient CFD simulations.

    4. Aerodynamic Modeling and Analysis: Dive into advanced aerodynamic modeling techniques, such as boundary layer modeling, turbulence modeling, and vortex analysis, to gain insights into flow behavior around racing vehicles.

    5. Solver Methods and Boundary Conditions: Understand different solver methods used in CFD simulations, set up appropriate boundary conditions, and validate simulation setups to ensure reliable results.

    6. Post-Processing and Data Analysis: Master post-processing techniques to analyze simulation results, including visualization of flow fields, calculation of aerodynamic forces and moments, and interpretation of key performance metrics.

    7. Case Studies and Practical Applications: Apply theoretical knowledge to real-world case studies, such as analyzing the aerodynamics of specific vehicle components, optimizing designs for performance improvements, and troubleshooting simulation issues.

    8. Professional Skills and Career Development: Develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills essential for success in motorsports engineering careers, and gain insights into industry best practices and trends.

  • Once you complete the course , at the end you have

    • Access to OpenFOAM Files for your own simulations

    • Access to Post Processing of multiple CFD Case Studies

    • Access to 

    • Access to Recommended readings and articles for an Aerodynamics Interview at an F1 Team.

    • Course Completion Certificate from an Aerodynamicist.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Gain insight into the role of cfd in driving innovation and performance optimization in racing car design.
  • Familiarize with the structure and functions of an aero and cfd department in a formula 1 team.
  • Learn the key considerations in geometric modeling of race cars and its influence on aerodynamic performance
  • Explore the setup of a virtual wind tunnel environment and its importance in aerodynamic analysis.
  • Understand the mechanical setup of a racing car and its implications on aerodynamics.
  • Learn about the preprocessing steps specific to motorsports applications, such as tire modeling and track behavior simulation.
  • Apply pre-processing techniques to prepare geometry and set up simulations for a detailed case study.
  • Explore different turbulence modeling techniques and their applications in motorsports cfd simulations.
  • Understand the significance of surface pressure distribution and other flow field variables in aerodynamic analysis.
  • Explore advanced concepts such as front tire squirt control and wing loading.
  • Learn how the 3 pillar of cfd i.e. pre-processing , solver and post-processing are applied in the motorsports industry
  • Show more
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Syllabus

Introduction to Applied Motorsports CFD
Who should attend this course ? What should you expect ?
Introduction to Module 1: Introduction to Applied Motorsports CFD
Read more
About the Speakers: Shubham Sangodkar and Punith Gowda
Introduction | Aero Departments | How is CFD Used in F1
CFD Workflow
Summary and Reflection
Acquire essential skills in geometric modeling and setup of virtual wind tunnel environments for accurate aerodynamic simulations in motorsports.
Introduction to Module 2 : Aerodynamic Model and Simulation Environment
Geometric model of a race car | Modeling Tyres
Virtual Wind Tunnel | Replicating Vehicle Setup
Vehicle Aero Map | Vehicle Ride Heights
Modeling Track Behaviors |Summary and Discussion Session
Aero Jargon
Overview of Surface Mesh Generation| Key Parameters | PIDs
Introduction to Module 3 - CFD Pre-Processing
Detailed Mesh Generation | Radiators & Tyres | Mesh Automation
Volume Mesh Generation | Structured vs Unstructured | Best Practises
Volume Mesh Refinement Zones
Summary and Discussion Session
Engage in a hands-on case study analyzing the aerodynamics of an isolated wheel, applying pre-processing techniques and gaining insights into CFD simulations in motorsports.
F1 Car Vehicle Design Walkover
Isolated Wheel Case Study Walkover
Discussion Session on the Famous Y250 Vortex and QnA
Explore turbulence modeling techniques, solver methods, and boundary conditions for accurate CFD simulations, gaining proficiency in setting up simulations for motorsports applications.
Introduction to Module 5 -CFD Solver
Some important CFD interview worthy questions
Turbulence Modeling | Types of Models and Use case
Boundary Layer | Wall Resolution & Modelling | Prism Layers
LES vs RANS ,What do F1 teams use ?
Boundary Conditions and Initial Conditions
Reflection and Discussion
Conduct a detailed analysis of the aerodynamics of the front wheel and front wing through a hands-on case study, exploring advanced concepts .
Deep Dive into the Case Study
Discussion Session on the case study
Develop skills in post-processing CFD simulation results, including visualization and analysis of flow field variables relevant to aerodynamic analysis in motorsports.
Introduction to Module 7 - CFD Post Processing
Introduction and Simulation Convergence | Quantitative vs Qualitative Data
Flow Field Data & Post Processing Strategies | Surface vs Volume Data
Surface Scalars Analysis | Yplus | Pressure Coefficient | Wall Shear Stress
CP Profile Analysis | The most important tool in Aero Analysis
Reflection and Discussion Part 1
Discussion Part 2
Conduct a detailed analysis of the aerodynamics of the front wheel and front wing through a hands-on case study
Post Processing Deep Dive - Isolated Wheel
Post Processing Deep Dive - Front Wing + Front Wheel
Learn how to prepare your profile for an aerodynamics position in F1
Playlist for How to Get into F1
Career Discussion with Shub and Punith
Get your basics of Aerodynamics in place.
Visualizing Airflow Around an F1 Car
The best resource for Aero Basics
How Aerodynamics Adds Performance to Race Car by Willem Toet
Successfully completed the course ? Don't miss out on this !

To access this material , kindly complete the course and then publish your certificate on LinkedIn. Once this has been verified , we will provide you with access to the files on the drive so that you can continue your learning journey.


To access this material , kindly complete the course and then publish your certificate on LinkedIn. Once this has been verified , we will provide you with access to the files on the drive so that you can continue your learning journey.

To access this material , kindly complete the course and then publish your certificate on LinkedIn. Once this has been verified , we will provide you with access to the files on the drive so that you can continue your learning journey.

F1 Aerodynamics Course with Basics and Case studies from Front to Rear

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in F1 Aerodynamics: Applied CFD & Best Practices for Motorsport with these activities:
Review Fundamental Fluid Dynamics
Solidify your understanding of fundamental fluid dynamics principles to better grasp the complexities of CFD simulations in motorsports.
Browse courses on Fluid Dynamics
Show steps
  • Review textbooks or online resources on fluid dynamics.
  • Solve practice problems related to fluid flow and pressure.
  • Summarize key concepts and equations.
Read 'Competition Car Aerodynamics' by Simon McBeath
Supplement your knowledge with a practical guide to competition car aerodynamics.
View Competition Car Aerodynamics 3rd Edition on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read chapters related to specific vehicle components.
  • Identify practical applications of aerodynamic principles.
  • Compare the book's approach to the course material.
Read 'Race Car Aerodynamics' by Joseph Katz
Gain a deeper understanding of race car aerodynamics principles and design considerations.
View Melania on Amazon
Show steps
  • Read assigned chapters focusing on specific aerodynamic components.
  • Take notes on key concepts and equations.
  • Relate the book's content to the course material.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Follow OpenFOAM Tutorials for Mesh Generation
Improve your meshing skills by following online tutorials specific to OpenFOAM and relevant to motorsport applications.
Show steps
  • Find tutorials on OpenFOAM mesh generation techniques.
  • Follow the tutorials step-by-step.
  • Apply the techniques to a motorsport-related geometry.
CFD Simulation of a Simple Airfoil
Apply the concepts learned in the course by simulating the airflow around a simple airfoil using OpenFOAM.
Show steps
  • Download and install OpenFOAM.
  • Create the geometry of a NACA 0012 airfoil.
  • Generate a mesh around the airfoil.
  • Set up the simulation parameters in OpenFOAM.
  • Run the simulation and analyze the results.
Create a Presentation on Turbulence Modeling
Deepen your understanding of turbulence modeling by researching and presenting different models used in motorsports CFD.
Show steps
  • Research different turbulence models (RANS, LES, DES).
  • Compare and contrast the models' strengths and weaknesses.
  • Prepare a presentation summarizing your findings.
  • Present your findings to peers or colleagues.
Contribute to an OpenFOAM Motorsport Project
Enhance your skills and contribute to the community by participating in an open-source project related to CFD in motorsports.
Show steps
  • Find an open-source project related to OpenFOAM and motorsports.
  • Identify areas where you can contribute (e.g., bug fixes, documentation).
  • Contribute your code or documentation to the project.

Career center

Learners who complete F1 Aerodynamics: Applied CFD & Best Practices for Motorsport will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
CFD Engineer
A computational fluid dynamics engineer applies simulation techniques to analyze and design systems involving fluid flow. This course offers a deep dive into CFD with specific applications in motorsports, making it highly relevant for a future CFD engineer. The course covers essential numerical techniques, solver methods, boundary conditions, and post-processing for analyzing flow fields. Through case studies and practical applications, this course will prepare you to perform the kind of work that a CFD engineer does, such as using software to optimize designs, as well as interpreting results.
See salaries and explore the career path for CFD Engineer
Aerodynamicist
An aerodynamicist studies the motion of air and how it interacts with moving objects, such as race cars. This course directly prepares you for this role by delving into the specifics of computational fluid dynamics for motorsports, focusing on aerodynamic analysis, design validation, and performance optimization. A significant component of the course involves hands-on case studies in analyzing vehicle components, ensuring that you gain practical experience relevant to an aerodynamicist's work. You will understand how to prepare geometry, generate high-quality meshes, and analyze simulation results which are all crucial to this role.
See salaries and explore the career path for Aerodynamicist
Simulation Engineer
A simulation engineer uses computer models to analyze and predict outcomes in engineering systems. This course has very specific teachings that match what a simulation engineer does. It covers essential aspects of setting up virtual simulations, including geometric modeling, mesh generation, and the application of various solver methods. The course includes hands-on case studies that focus on motorsports, allowing you to gain practical skills in analyzing simulation results, which is especially useful for a career as a simulation engineer. You will also learn practical skills in the simulation environment.
See salaries and explore the career path for Simulation Engineer
Motorsports Engineer
Motorsports engineers design, develop, and improve racing vehicles. This course fits well with this role by providing in-depth knowledge of computational fluid dynamics applied to motorsports, a key skill in vehicle design and performance analysis. This course helps a motorsports engineer understand the complexities of aerodynamic modeling, including turbulence modeling and vortex analysis, plus practical skills in areas such as mesh generation and data analysis that are directly applicable. The course aims to expose you to the hidden realities of CFD application in motorsports.
See salaries and explore the career path for Motorsports Engineer
Performance Engineer
A performance engineer analyzes data to optimize vehicle performance, and this course helps you develop skills essential for this role. It offers a practical approach to computational fluid dynamics in motorsports and covers topics such as aerodynamic analysis and optimization, which are central to a performance engineer's responsibilities of maximizing vehicle performance. The course includes case studies and practical applications that enable learners to understand how different factors affect racing car performance. You will learn how to interpret simulation results and identify areas for improvement.
See salaries and explore the career path for Performance Engineer
Design Engineer
A design engineer develops and improves the design of mechanical or structural systems in motorsports. This course may be useful for a design engineer due to the course's focus on the application of computational fluid dynamics in motorsports, which is essential for evaluating design performance. The course teaches important aspects of geometry preparation, mesh generation, and aerodynamic modeling. You will learn about practical applications through case studies giving you a better understanding of the requirements of vehicle design. You'll learn how to validate designs through simulation.
See salaries and explore the career path for Design Engineer
Research Scientist
A research scientist in motorsports conducts investigations to better understand physical phenomena and improve performance. This course provides a strong foundation in computational fluid dynamics, which is a necessary skill for performing research in motorsports. The course will familiarize you with topics such as turbulence modeling and vortex analysis. It will allow you to perform investigations in the context of motorsports. It will also give you a theoretical understanding of the concepts and equations necessary to conduct research in this field. An advanced degree is usually required for this role.
See salaries and explore the career path for Research Scientist
Product Development Engineer
A product development engineer participates in the development process of a new product or system. This course may be useful for a role as a product development engineer as it develops the skills to utilize computational fluid dynamics in the development of new products in motorsports. The course covers important aspects such as geometry preparation, mesh generation, and aerodynamic modeling, all necessary for the design and development phases. You will also learn practical skills through case studies that help you validate your new designs.
See salaries and explore the career path for Product Development Engineer
Test Engineer
A test engineer designs and oversees tests on components and systems to ensure proper function and identify potential issues. This course may be useful to a test engineer in that it provides an understanding of the principles of computational fluid dynamics in motorsports, which can help you better understand and interpret test results. The course also covers important techniques for aerodynamic modeling and simulation setup that can give you a better perspective on physical tests. This understanding of the core concepts in fluid dynamics is helpful when understanding and creating tests.
See salaries and explore the career path for Test Engineer
Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical engineers design, develop, and test mechanical devices and systems. This course may be useful for a mechanical engineer who wants to work in the motorsports sector. The course focuses on computational fluid dynamics, which is a key aspect of aerodynamics, and you would gain a deeper understanding of this important part of the mechanical engineering domain. The course gives you practical experience in areas that are crucial for designing mechanical systems that involve fluid dynamics, such as race cars. You will also learn about the principles governing fluid flow.
See salaries and explore the career path for Mechanical Engineer
Technical Consultant
A technical consultant provides expert advice on engineering issues to clients. This course will potentially be useful to a technical consultant who focuses on the motorsports industry since it provides a specialization in computational fluid dynamics. The course covers many of the practical applications and theoretical concepts used in the industry such as mesh generation and advanced aerodynamic modeling techniques. By taking the course, you show expertise in the area which can give you more credibility for consulting in this area.
See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Consultant
Data Analyst
A data analyst collects and interprets data to inform decision-making processes. This course may be useful to a data analyst due to its focus on post-processing and data analysis of CFD simulations. You will learn techniques and strategies on how to visualize and analyze the flow field data that comes from a simulation, giving you an understanding of how to use such data. You will also learn how to interpret key performance metrics, which could be helpful to a data analyst in this specific field. However, you may need additional experience with statistical analysis.
See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst
University Lecturer
A university lecturer teaches courses within a higher education setting. This course will potentially be helpful to a university lecturer teaching in motorsports engineering. The course introduces the fundamental principles of computational fluid dynamics using case studies and hands-on experience. This will allow a lecturer to develop course material that is useful for developing skills in this area. The course also covers a large range of the necessary skills in aerodynamics, from the theoretical all the way to implementation.
See salaries and explore the career path for University Lecturer
Technical Writer
A technical writer produces documentation and instructional materials for engineering products and processes. This course may be useful to a technical writer who wants to write about the domain of motorsports engineering and computational fluid dynamics. The practical experience you gain using this course allows you to better understand the domain and concepts, which makes it easier to break down these topics in an accessible way. The course also covers many of the core concepts of the area which are useful for writing technical documents.
See salaries and explore the career path for Technical Writer
Automotive Journalist
An automotive journalist writes about cars and the automotive industry, often for a popular audience. This course may be useful for an automotive journalist who wants to report on the technology used in motorsports. This course goes into specific detail about the kind of technologies that are used in racing. The course provides a theoretical understanding of these technologies that would be useful for the journalist to convey to a wider audience. The hands-on experience may also help give them a more practical understanding, which is great for writing an article.
See salaries and explore the career path for Automotive Journalist

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in F1 Aerodynamics: Applied CFD & Best Practices for Motorsport.
Cover image
Think and Grow Rich - English : For Personal Growth...
Save
Comprehensive guide to race car aerodynamics, covering fundamental principles and practical applications. It provides in-depth explanations of aerodynamic concepts, design considerations, and testing methodologies. It is commonly used by motorsport engineers and students to gain a deeper understanding of race car aerodynamics. This book adds significant depth to the course by providing a detailed exploration of the subject matter.
Melania
Hardcover
$$
From Here to the Great Unknown: Oprah's Book Club:...
Hardcover
$$
War
Hardcover
$$
The Message
Hardcover
$$
Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between...
Hardcover
$$
Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir
Hardcover
$$
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of...
Hardcover
$$
Onyx Storm (Deluxe Limited Edition) (The Empyrean,...
Hardcover
$$
Spooky Cutie: Coloring Book for Adults and Teens...
Paperback
$
The Leaf Thief: (The Perfect Fall Book for Children...
Paperback
$$
Cover image
Competition Car Aerodynamics, 3rd Edition
Save
Provides a practical guide to understanding and applying aerodynamics in competition cars. It covers a range of topics, including basic aerodynamic principles, vehicle dynamics, and wind tunnel testing. It valuable resource for motorsport enthusiasts and engineers looking to improve the performance of their vehicles. This book adds breadth to the course by providing a more accessible and practical perspective on the subject.
Competition Car Aerodynamics 3rd Edition
Paperback
$$$

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Effort
7.5 total hours
Via
Udemy
Instructors
Shubham Sangodkar
Punith Gowda
Language
English
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