Originally Posted by A39Coronet
Originally Posted by jcc
Originally Posted by A39Coronet
Originally Posted by topside
Typically on street courses, the metal covers are welded in pre-practice; ground-effects cars suck them up otherwise.
Kind of a rookie error by whoever was prepping the track surface.


Manhole cover was bolted down. The housing itself lifted along with the road surface. Some of the smartest minds in the world work in F1, I'm guessing this was a highly unforseen issue. I don't see the logic in docking Ferrari the ten grid spots for a chassis change considering it was a new facility issue outside of their own control.

How did a manhole cover lift itself?


The ground effects on the cars are the primary method of down force. Air entering under the car goes through a Venturi effect as the space expands towards the rear, creating a tremendous area of low pressure holding the car down/pulling things up.


I once saw a New York City garbage truck hit a manhole cover with the snowplow. Flipped it over and it landed upside down on the manhole.