Honda RA108 - additional sidepod venting 23 March 2008
Malaysia's tropical weather means teams face a cooling challenge. The high humidity hinders the correct flow of air through the car's radiators, so most squads try to find 'on site' solutions to guarantee the proper dissipation of hot air, without spoiling aerodynamic efficiency. Reliability is paramount, so even if the perfect compromise in terms of efficiency can't be found, radical solutions are often adopted. In the case of Honda, additional venting has been added on top of the sidepods by cutting big holes in front of the exhaust vents (inset). This improves the extraction of hot air from the sidepods (red arrow) and thus reduces the risk of the engine overheating. This precaution is even more significant if we consider the two-race engine rule.
