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Originally Posted by barnettracing
Therefore, the arbitrary figure of 100kg downforce can be considered as dMax. dMax is the level of downforce produced at vMax (maximum velocity). Therefore, whilst accelerating the downforce of the car would be less, meaning that the total weight (not mass) of the car would be less than 600kg (I know this figure is actually a mass, not a weight). Because F=ma, a car with less F (weight) will have an effective lower mass. This will cause it to accelerate faster if both engines produced the same power.
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Downforce is just what it says, a force, so it doesn't have any effect on the mass/weight of the vehicle, so it has no direct effect on acceleration. There will, however, be two factors which will have some effect. Firstly, any aerofoil produces both lift & drag, so the drag component will add to the total drag; secondly, increased tyre loading will increase rolling resistance. Without any data I don't know just how significant these effects will be - negligible, no doubt, at low speeds.
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Originally Posted by luke g28
I dont think it is that simple as you have ignored any contribution from downforce.
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He did say "if they have the same grip", which allows for the effect of downforce.
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Simplistic I know but it is very easy to over complicate.
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It's also very easy to over-simplify. It's a very complicated subject; as with any complicated subject it can be broken down into simple components, but the complex manner in which those components interact means that considering them in isolation doesn't give a true picture of what's happening.