Adrian Newey Worried About Safety of New Noses

[cosworth151]

Ace designer Adrian Newey is concerned that the new droop snoot cars could submarine other cars in rear end crashes.

"The regulations has been introduced following some research by the FIA that the nose height reduces the chances of cars being launched - like with the accident that Mark [Webber] had when he hit the back of [Heikki] Kovalainen at Valencia a few years ago," said Newey at Jerez. "I must admit that I am concerned that the opposite may now happen, that cars now submarine effectively. So if you hit the back of the car square on, then you go underneath it and end up under the rear crash structure, which I think is a much worse scenario."

http://www.racer.com/f1-newey-says-2014-nose-designs-pose-dangers/article/331330/?DCMP=EMC-RACER_DAILY&spMailingID=7846597&spUserID=MjMyNjk2NjU2MQS2&spJobID=117229745&spReportId=MTE3MjI5NzQ1S0

[Scott]

He's got a good point.  I don't really understand why they went from one extreme (too high) to another (too low).  Something in the middle would have probably protected the driver against both scenarios, and well, it would have looked a heckuva lot better too.

[lkjohnson1950]

They raced for 50 or so years with low noses and there were very few crashes that actually put one car under the other. I think Adrian just doesn't like the aero he's getting with the low nose. I admit though, I don't like the "Goon" noses so many have adopted.

[cosworth151]

I think what Newey is concerned about is the combination of the very low nose and the relatively high diffuser at the rear. The "Goon nose" looks like it could almost interlock with the diffuser and direct the rear of the forward car right up and over the rear car.

[Jericoke]

There really is no 'safe' height for the nose of an F1 car.

Too high, and the rear car gets launched
Too low, and the rear car gets 'submarined'
In between, and it becomes a dangerous object in a t-bone (see Alex Zanardi)

The best they can do is ensure that the nose crumples safely in as many crash scenarios as possible, while retaining enough strength to provide down force.  (Although... a thought occurs to me.  FIA can limit down force by limiting the strength of parts of the car in the name of crash safety.  Build any wing you want, just make sure it doesn't destroy a nose cone made of Nerf)