The essence of Formula 1 is innovation, and teams have always pushed the boundaries of engineering to explore new performance-enhancing solutions. Among the most famous (and controversial) innovations was the Double Diffuser.
Brawn GP first brought the concept to light in the 2009 season, where it proved to be so successful that the FIA was ultimately forced to outlaw it for the 2010 season to preserve fairness in the sport. But why was it so good? So let’s unpack how the Double Diffuser functioned and why it provided Brawn such an enormous leg up.
What Was the Double Diffuser?
The Double Diffuser was a groundbreaking aerodynamic solution that clever engineering had exploited to maximize air flow under the car. From there, it created a second diffuser in the space between the rear suspension and the car’s floor, providing a balance of better handling, more downforce, and increased stability without adding drag. It was an incredible design that gave Brawn GP a runaway lead over their rivals.
Advantages of the Double Diffuser
Increased Downforce
The big advantage of the Double Diffuser was the increase in the car’s downforce without a corresponding increase in drag. This added downforce helped keep the car slick on the asphalt, especially during turns, enabling Brawn GP to maintain speed through corners, reducing drift and improving grip.
Better Cornering Performance
The increased downforce also gave the car better stability in high-speed corners. It made the Brawn GP car more nimble and more responsive, which gave them a significant advantage in cornering, one of the most important elements in lap times.
Improved Stability
The extra airflow management was conducive to high-speed stability in the car, which was critical in helping prevent loss of control. STAYING UP: The Brawn GP car was able to hit high speeds and be very stable on high speed straights and in planning zones, thanks to the Double Diffuser.
Reduced Drag
One major disadvantage to almost all aerodynamic innovations that increase downforce, is that they usually also increase (unwanted) drag, but the Double Diffuser managed to create more downforce without a significant increase in drag. This allowed Brawn GP to take more speed while using the car’s engine power more efficiently.
Increased Overall Speed
The Double Diffuser helped Brawn GP achieve faster lap times, thanks to a combination of improved grip, handling, and stability, all of which were especially critical in qualifying and race conditions. This provided them with a distinct performance advantage over rivals.
Brawn GP — a Strategic Advantage
Being original to their car gave the Brawn GP car a unique performance advantage over others. Here the rivals could not produce something similar in the afternoon that allowed separate dominance of the Brawn GP team in the first half of the 2009 season.
Why Double diffuser Was It Banned?
The so-called Double Diffuser was so successful that the governing FIA ruled it operated by exploiting a loophole in the regulations, however technically it was legal. Other teams soon protested that it gave them an unfair advantage, and after the end of the 2009 season, the FIA made the move to outlaw the innovation for 2011. This meant that, while Brawn GP were reaping the rewards in their title-winning season, no other team would be able to run with the Double Diffuser from that point onwards.
The ban was a sign of how design could tilt the balance of power in F1 and how quickly the governing body will act when something appears to be too much of an advantage for one team. But for that single season, the Double Diffuser demonstrated what great change a little innovation can achieve in F1.
