KG 507/KG 508 FAIRINGS KIT: THE DRAG IMPROVES BY 8%!

KG's research and development work with BeonD lasted over a year and its main objective, among others, was that of minimizing drag. Particularly in the world of karting, where speeds are low, it is very difficult to have a real gain in terms of performance by working on aerodynamics.
Yet, a significant improvement in terms of drag reduction has been recorded, if we compare the previous KG 506 aerodynamic kit with the new KG 507 kit combined with the KG 508 nassau panel, which went from a total drag of 119.57 N to one of 109.56 N, giving an 8% improvement.
At the same time, efforts were made to favour cooling as much as possible. This is somewhat in contrast to the drag reduction. In fact, to perform at its best in terms of heat exchange, a radiator must be exposed to the flow of air. On the other hand, however, the more it is hit by the air, the more the Drag increases. As always, we are faced with the classic situation of the "short blanket effect": when you try to improve one aspect, you make the other worse and vice versa.
In addition to these aspects, we have also tried to increase the vertical load, reducing the "Lift force", the force thanks to which, so to speak, planes are able to fly. In fact, by reducing it the kart is "pressed" more to the ground and the effect has resulted in a practical benefit: "In the tests carried out at the beginning of 2022, explains Gaggianesi, the drivers felt a slightly more 'loaded' front on the fast bends".
However, when you work and carry out research in the aerodynamic field the risk is always that of being guided only by the results of simulations and tests, in order to improve a certain aspect more and more, for example, precisely, the Drag. Gaggianesi has a very clear and defined opinion in relation to this: "I think it is absolutely worth investing as we have done in aerodynamic research, since the benefit has been appreciable in practical terms, but you have to do it with clarity and always taking into consideration the low speeds of karts. We must be aware that in karting what really has an impact on performance is the speed on the bends, which are many and not far apart, as opposed to a racetrack. Consequently, it is always necessary to assess whether further improvements in terms of aerodynamics may not generate disadvantages in terms of weight, an aspect that would penalize speed on the bends. So I think that there must always be a balance between aerodynamic benefits and relative disadvantages in terms of masses, an aspect that directly impacts acceleration. Furthermore, it must be considered that the improvement percentages derived from the simulations certainly reduce considerably in practice in terms of benefits. However, at the same time we cannot say that they do not exist, as we have seen in the development of the KG 507 kit and the KG 508 nassau panel.