Could An F1 Car Actually Drive Upside-Down?

It’s a long-discussed topic and has been debated many times, but could a Formula 1 car really drive upside down? This fantastic video analyses whether it’s possible, or not

Jack Leslie

14 Aug 2017

It’d be pretty cool to see a F1 car driving upside down, but whether it’s actually possible is a completely different matter and it would require a huge amount of resources.

Even if it’s just for a PR stunt or an experiment to see if it’s actually possible, an F1 car driving on the ceiling would definitely be something we’d be up for seeing in the future.

This awesome, techy video from Driver 61 - run by racing driver Scott Mansell (no relation to Nigel) - analyses whether an F1 car could drive upside down. But, it doesn’t just focus on the car itself.

No, the video also delves into the inner workings of the car, the systems and whether they’d work, the specific environment that would be required and the teams or organisations that may be bonkers enough (and have deep enough pockets) to give it a go.

Comments

The question if my childhood has finally been answerd

I know a car that can drive upside-down.
The Renault Twingo RS.

Good times

Did Clarkson actually do that stunt? or was it a stunt driver?

P1eased0nteatme twongi

FlamingTwingoofFury

If it was Maldonado upside down he wouldn’t even get there far. He’d blow up.

So, Trackmania anyone?

Team hw did that with an Indy car

Ah phht I know it’s possible! If I can do it in Asphalt 8 I can do it in real life.

The real question is can Alex do it since he says Hes a Racing Driver..

the engine problem could be solved fairly “easily”by using a 2 stroke engine. those will work when turned upside down and are more powerfull then a 4-stroke engine of the same engine size (500cc 2-stroke is more powerfull then a 500cc 4-stroke). i see no problem in maybe fitting 2 high powered 2-stroke engines from an old racing motorcycle into a radical.