Aerodynamics in racing

Aerodynamics is the science that studies objects moving through air. It is closely related to fluid dynamics as air is considered a compressible fluid. Nowadays, aerodynamics is the utmost important factor in Formula One car performance. It has even nearly become one of the only aspects of performance gain due to the very marginal gains that can currently be made by engine changes or other mechanic component development. This downforce can be likened to a "virtual" increase in weight, pressing the car down onto the road and increasing the available frictional force between the car and the road, therefore enabling higher cornering speeds.

Furthermore, as Formula One teams have the greatest resources to develop aero efficiency of its cars, the greatest strives are made here. F1 teams have unrivalled CFD computing power and at least one full time wing tunnel, only for validating and improving their designs.

While basic aerodynamic methods and formulas can be simply resolved, other properties are verifiable with empirical formulas. More complex shapes such as airplanes or racing cars are however impossible to calculate precisely, rendering computational fluid dynamic systems (CFD applications on super computers) and wind tunnels an absolute requirement to validate designs

Application in Formula One

F1 (and in general, all winged racing cars) can be considered to be canard configurations in the sense that the front and back wings are on opposite sides of the centre of gravity and both are "lifting" (strongly) in the same direction, in this case creating downforce.
From a spectator's point of view, a car can be considered in (at least) 3 parts: the front wing, the car's body and the rear wing. Each of the parts can be optimised for the required downforce at a minimum of drag. Practically however, every component has its influence on the behaviour of the car and cannot be regarded as an individual component. As a result, no element is tested individually, but always a complete scale model of a car.
Because a complete racing car is a very complex system, teams of engineers usually evolve the car step by step, developing a particular item and check its effect on the car. Such overall effect can then be calculated with "Amdahl's law":

Here is the fraction of the system (when this fraction generates 5% of the car's drag, then is 0.05) that can be improved, is the improvement factor on this fraction (division of the drag in Newtons and the new drag force after improving that element), and is the overall improvement that will be achieved.
After verifying its improvement, the car's efficiency is determined and then simulated on different tracks to see on where it is useful. That usefulness is always the result of a reduction in drag or an increase in downforce.

Drag

Drag is the aerodynamic force that is opposite to the velocity of an object moving through air (or any other fluid). Its size is proportional to the speed differential between the air and the solid object. It is therefore unimportant if either the air is moving around a static object or if the object is moving at a speed through static air.
Drag comes in various forms, one of them being friction drag which is the result of the friction of the solid molecules against air molecules in their neighbourhood. Friction and its drag depend on both the fluid and the solid properties. A smooth surface of the solid for example produces less skin friction compared to a rough one. For the fluid, the friction varies along with its viscosity and the relative magnitude of the viscous forces to the motion of the flow, expressed as the Reynolds number. Along the solid surface, a boundary layer of low energy flow is generated and the magnitude of the skin friction depends on conditions in the boundary layer.
Additionally, drag is a form of resistance from the air against the solid moving object. This form of drag is dependent on the particular shape of a wing, and is therefore called form drag. As air flows around a body, the local velocity and pressure are changed, effectively creating a force.
Interference drag or induced drag on the other hand is the result of vortices that are generated behind the solid object. Due to the change of direction of air around the wing, a vortex is created where the airflow meets unchanged, straight flow. The size of the vortex, and thereby its drag strength increases with an increasing angle of attack of the aerofoil. As a primary source of possible drag reduction, Formula One teams try to counteract this drag by adding end plates to wings or with fillets at the suspension arms.
Other sources of drag include wave drag and ram drag. The first is unimportant for normal racecars as it occurs when the moving object speeds up to the speed of sound. Ram drag on the other hand is the result of slowing down the free airstream, as in an air inlet.
The amount of drag that a certain object generates in an airflow is quantified in a drag coëfficient. This coëfficient expresses the ratio of the drag force to the force produced by the dynamic pressure times the area. Therefore, a of 1 denotes that all air flowing onto the object will be stopped, while a theoretical 0 is a perfectly clean air stream.
At relatively high speeds, ie. at high Reynolds number (), the aerodynamic drag force can be calculated by this formula:

where is the force of drag (in Newton), the density of the air, the speed of the object relative to the fluid (in m/s), the reference surface and the coëfficient of drag. Note the minus sign and the vector which indicate that the resulting drag force is opposite to the movement of the object.

Downforce

Aerofoils in motorsports are often called wings, referring to aircraft wings. In fact they are very similar. F1 wings and winglets aim to generate high downforce, by having a high angle of attack, thus also increasing the drag of the aerofoil.
The evolution of aerofoils to what they are now is mainly thanks to the genious and research of a few well known scientists. In 1686, Sir Isaac Newton presented his three laws of motion, one of them being the conservation of energy. He stated that energy is constant in a closed system, although it can be converted from one type to another. Out of that theory, Daniel Bernouilli deducted a formula proving that the total energy in a steadily flowing fluid system is a constant along the flow path. An increase in the fluid’s speed must therefore be matched by a decrease in its pressure. Adding up the pressure variation times the area around the entire body determines the aerodynamic force on the body.
An aerofoil's operation can be easily explained when you consider a wing in a steady, laminar flow of air. As air is a gas, its molecules are free to move around and may have a different speed at different locations in the airstream. As downforce generating aerofoils are mostly designed with more thickness on the lower side, the lower airstream is slightly reduced in surface, hence increasing the flow speed and decreasing the pressure. On top of the wing, the airspeed is lower, and thus the pressure difference will generate a downward force on the wing. Additionally, and in line with Newton's third law of motion, downforce wings are never straight and induce a new turning of the airflow. More specifically, the shape of the wing will turn air upwards and change its velocity. Such speed creates a net force on the body.

This shows that a force causes a change in velocity , or also, a change in velocity generates a force. Note that a velocity is a vectorial unit, having a speed and a direction component. So, to change of either of these components, you must impose a force. And if either the speed or the direction of a flow is changed, a force is generated.
It is very important to note that the turning of the fluid occurs because the molecules of the fluid stay in contact with the solid body since the molecules are free to move. Any part of the solid body can deflect a flow. Parts facing the oncoming flow are said to be windward, and parts facing away from the flow are said to be leeward. Both windward and leeward parts deflect a flow. Ignoring the leeward deflection leads to the incorrent "skipping stone" theory of lift.
You can simulate airflow around a simple aerofoil with NASA's Foilsim II.
Downforce is however often explained by the "equal transit time" or "longer path" theory, stating that particles that split ahead of the aerofoil will join together behind it. In reality however, the air on the longer side of the wing will flow much faster, further increasing the downforce effect.
While these simplified versions are the basics of lift and downforce generation, the reality can hardly be simplified and is a complex study, requiring high power computer systems. For a gas, we have to simultaneously conserve the mass, momentum, and energy in the flow. Hence, a change in the velocity of a gas in one direction results in a change in the velocity of the gas in a direction perpendicular to the original change. The simultaneous conservation of mass, momentum, and energy of a fluid (while neglecting the effects of air viscosity) are called the Euler Equations after Leonard Euler. Several computer algorithms are based on these equations to make an approximation of the real situation.
Because of the complexity, today's Formula One cars are designed with CFD (computational fluid dynamics) and CAD (computer aided design) that allows engineers to design a car, and immediately simulate the airflow around it, incorporating environmental parameters like traction, wind speed and direction, and much more.

By Steven De Groote

Source: http://www.f1technical.net/articles/10

Trackday akhir tahun COINS

29 desember 2012 menjadi saksi trackday akhir tahun anak anak Cornering Indonesia Surabaya...

Sudah lama tidak gas dan sudah lama tidak main kesirkuit.. akhirnya ditemukan dan ditetapkan untuk trackday...
Lumayan baru suasana sirkuit yaitu adanya penambahan dinding dinding pembatas dan juga rumput yang masih tumbuh dengan rimbun...

Start jam 7... selesai jam 1 karena ada latihan gokart.. sayang sekali tidak bisa full day.. tapi ya mau gmana lg... segitu saja sudah lebih dari cukup

ada MR MX dengan biru khasnya dan jg livery TURIS... hehehehe

ada lagi golongan underbone dari pabrikan sayap.... denger2 langsung dari Honda Repsol.. hehehe.. honda blade repsol livery

dan siapa lagi klo bukan raja jalanannya surabaya... Mr Firdaus...

Blue MX Turis in action...

Red F1ZR in action....

 

 Grey Vixion in action...

 

ya sebenarnya masih banyak foto foto lainnya.. cuma berhubung ada yg dalam pose gak bagus alias habis ndlozor ya rasanya gak perlu ya.. jehehehe..

Come on guys siapa tau ada yg mau gabung monggo... bisa kontak saya dan gabung Cornering Indonesia Surabaya.... dijamin bakalan kek keluarga sendiri.. coz kita gak pilih pilih anda dari mana atau siapa... selama suka yg namanya cornering yuk mari merapat.. hehehe..
Gmana dengan tahun dpn?? semoga makin banyak yang gabung dan lebih rame lagi tentunya...

Ketika Riding Gear menjadi mahal dan Nyawa menjadi murah

Safety Gear Mahal ?

“Coba anda lihat helm diatas, apakah anda melihat “value/nilai” dari helm tersebut ? Helm tersebut telah melaksanakan tugasnya dan berhasil menghemat puluhan atau mungkin ratusan ribu dollar milik si empunya dari biaya pengobatan, rehabilitasi, pemulihan. Helm tersebut kira-kira berharga kurang dari 100 dollar harga barunya.”

Tergelitik dari membaca beberapa posting di blog, yang intisari-nya menceritakan tentang orang-orang yang menyesal karena kehilangan orang yang dikasihi dalam kecelakaan motor. Tidak memakai helm dan beberapa pelindung lainnya dikatakan merupakan penyebab hilangnnya nyawa yang bersangkutan. Ironisnya, ketidak mampuan untuk membeli peralatan-peral­atan perlindungan itu menjadi alasan mengapa si korban tidak mengenakan alat-alat tersebut.

Mengenai cerita ini kemudian di pasang dalam sebuah milist otomotif, dan banyak anggota mailing list tersebut memberikan komentar. Ada yang mencemooh, ada yang memaklumi. Mencemooh si korban karena atas kesalahannya sendiri hingga harus merasakan musibah tersebut. Dan sebaliknya, memaklumi “ketidak-mampua­n” si korban yang tidak bisa membeli alat-alat pelindung itu. Dari respon-respon ini, saya bisa melihat bahwa masih banyak cara pikir teman-teman dimana saja yang menganalogikan bahwa “Safety Gear” = “Mahal”. Coba kita pahami lagi…

Safety Gear adalah perlindungan terakhir. Ini adalah kalimat yang bisa dibuktikan kebenarannya. Kalau Tuhan sudah berkehendak, maka kita semuanya sebagai mahluknya hanya bisa pasrah dan berusaha. Kalau Tuhan berkehendak bahwasannya kita akan terjatuh dari motor sore ini, saat pulang kantor, maka tidak ada yang bisa mencegah. Terjatuh-lah kita. Tapi Tuhan maha adil. Manusia bukan berarti tidak diberi kesempatan untuk merubah nasib nya. Toch Tuhan masih memberi kesempatan bagi kita untuk berusaha, berusaha untuk menyelamatkan diri. Setelah itu, boleh lah kita pasrah.

Jadi, kalau sudah ditakdirkan untuk jatuh dari motor sore ini, kita harus siap-siap. Siap-siap dengan pertahanan dan perlindungan terakhir. Yang memisahkan diri kita dengan permukaan jalanan yang keras adalah pelindung diri atau “Safety Gear”. Yang memisahkan kulit kita dengan permukaan aspal. Dengan harapan, bisa mengurangi cidera dan luka-luka.

Tapi sungguh sayang, mungkin karena namanya “Perlindungan Terakhir”, kata “terakhir” ini menyebabkan peralatan-peral­atan perlindungan ini menjadi benar-benar mendapat prioritas yang “terakhir” dalam benak kebanyakan orang. Kata mereka “yang penting beli motor dulu, yang lain nanti saja”. Hingga karena prioritasnya yang rendah, akhirnya jadi jauh lebih rendah dari kebutuhan-kebut­uhan lain.

Maka wajar saja, karena prioritasnya yang di-nomor sekian kan, banyak yang mencari pembenaran bahwa safety gear itu “belum perlu”, “tidak perlu”, “bikin repot”, “bikin tidak nyaman” sampai pada pembenaran seperti “mahal”. Hingga pada waktu, maaf, hari naas. Dimana biaya pengobatan yang sangat mahal, mahal di dopet, mahal di rasa, mahal di perasaan, mahal di mental hingga mahal dalam penyesalan, kalau masih bisa menyesal.

Banyak orang bilang Mahal itu relatif.

Bagi sebagian orang, yang mengerti tentang pentingnya arti keselamatan entah karena pernah mengalami hari naas atau karena penyebab lain, membeli makanan seharga Rp 20.000 memang sangat mahal, tapi kalau membeli helm seharga Rp 500.000 akan terasa ringan dan lega.

Bagi sebagian orang, yang mengerti tentang pentingnya kenikmatan kuliner, membeli helm seharga Rp 500.000 tentu saja akan dianggap gila, tapi mengeluarkan kocek Rp 500.000 untuk sebuah steik di sebuah bintang lima jelas memberikan kepuasan tersendiri.

Bagi sebagian orang, yang bekerja keras sebagai kuli bangunan, yang bersedia menyicil motor Rp 500.000 sebulan demi anaknya agar bisa naik motor kesekolah dengan bangga bersama teman-temannya.­ Mau makan saja susah, tapi tetap harus menyicil motor setiap bulannya. Tapi apa yang didapat ? Nyawa anak melayang ditelan maut kecelakaan. Apakah sepadan ? Mungkin harus saya ubah pertanyaanya, Apakah harga helm yang Rp 250.000 itu terasa mahal ? Eh… relatif murah atau relatif mahal ? Dalam penyesalan, sebuah helm menjadi tidak ada harganya, dibandingkan nyawa… “Kenapa si Tole tidak saya belikan helm……..?”, apakah bapak tidak tahu, kalau untuk makan saja susah, apalagi mau beli helm ? .. “Saya tidak perduli berapapun mahalnya, yang penting anak saya jangan mati”.

Penyesalan selalu datang belakangan. Dan nilai suatu benda akan terasa disaat benda itu benar-benar beguna. Seperti helm yang melindungi kepala anda. Saat belum berguna, mungkin terasa mahal (bagi yang cari makan saja susah), tapi saat sudah berguna melindungi diri dari kematian…. harga bukan masalah.

Ayo kita hitung-hitungan­. Apakah Safety Gear Mahal ?

Seorang pengendara motor, memiliki sebuah motor bekas. Dibeli dengan harga Rp 8 Juta.
Alasannya ? “Agar bisa memiliki transportasi sendiri yang bebas. Kemanapun mau pergi tinggal melaju saja. Murah dan cepat.”

Sebuah Helm Open Face. Rp 235.000.
Sebuah Sarung Tangan. Rp 50.000.
Sebuah Sepatu (menutupi mata kaki). Rp 150.000.
Sebuah Jaket . Rp 150.000.
Sebuah Celana Jeans. Rp. 100.000. (yang ini mau dihitung atau tidak, terserah, biasanya semua orang punya).

Total investasi safety gear, Rp 685.000.

Berani beli motor cash Rp 8.000.000 mosok gak bisa nambah Rp 700 rb doang untuk safety gear ?
Berani cicil motor Rp 660rb sebulan mosok gak bisa nambah nyicil extra buat nambung beli safety gear Rp 50rb sebulan ?

Kalau gak bisa persiapkan Safety Gearnya mendingan gak usah beli motor. Bisa beli motor mosok gak bisa beli helm ? Kalau emang susah makan, mosok motor bisa kebeli ?

Analoginya, makanan kalau kita makan akan memberikan faedah yang kurang lebih “sama”. Kenyang dan memperpanjang kehidupan. Walaupun faedahnya sama, tapi harga bisa berbeda-beda. Ada yang nasi putih + tempe + sayur asam, Rp 2 rb. Ada yang berupa daging panggang dengan nama “steik” yang harganya bisa mencapai Rp 500rb. Sama-sama kenyang, sama-sama jadi daging, dan sama-sama jadi ampas.

Demikian pula dengan safety gear. Ada Helm yang harganya Rp 200rb, ada yang harganya hingga Rp 12juta. Sama-sama melindungi kepala. Ya, belilah yang murah menurut anda dan sesuai kemampuan.

Baiklah…. Coba kita lihat harga sebuah safety gear ketika ia benar-benar befungsi sebagai mana mestinya.

1. Sebuah Helm. Harga Rp 285rb. Ketika ia berfungsi melindungi kepala maka sipengguna sudah menghemat biaya rumah sakit, biaya pengobatan, biaya operasi, biaya rehabilitasi, biaya rawat jalan, dsb yang nilainya antara Rp 25 juta hingga-tak terhingga. Itu pun bila kecelakaannya tidak fatal. Kalau kecelakaan fatal dan helm berhasil melindungi nyawa sipengguna, maka nilainya “tidak terhingga”. Atau hanya Tuhan yang tahu. Tapi anda bisa beli di toko helm dengan harga Rp 285rb saja (murah atau mahal ?).

2. Sebuah Sepatu menutupi mata kaki. Harga Rp 150.000. Dalam keadaan standar saja, sepatu ini sudah melindungi kaki dari permukaan aspal, dari lecet, dari keseleo, dari luka-luka, yang kalau tidak pakai sepatu maka pengobatannya bisa Rp 50rb hingga jutaan. Apalagi saat ia berfungsi melindungi kaki saat kecelakaan, dimana menghemat dari biaya rumah sakit, biaya rawat inap, pengobatan, operasi, biaya terapi, rehabilitasi, rawat jalan, dsb yang nilainya antara Rp 15 juta hingga-tak terhingga. Kalau sampai sang sepatu melindungi kaki dari amputasi, bisa jadi sang sepatu berjasa dengan nilai yang juga tak terhingga. Tapi anda bisa beli di toko sepatu seharga Rp 150rb saja. (murah atau mahal ?).

3. Sebuah Knee Protector. Harga Rp 150.000. Bila alat ini bekerja sesuai fungsinya, maka si pengguna menghemat biaya rumah sakit, biaya operasi tulang, biaya obat-obatan, biaya rawat inap, biaya rawat jalan, biaya alat bantu berjalan. Menghemat Rp 15 juta hingga tak terhingga. Namun anda hanya cukup membeli di toko-toko perlengkapan berkendara Rp 150rb saja. (lagi, murah atau mahal ?).

Mahal itu memang relatif… tapi untuk “Safety Gear”, jawabannya adalah MURAH dengan faedah dan kegunaan yang seharga NYAWA ANDA.

Source: anak-anak klub semuanya

Most Beautiful Roads in the World

The Overseas Highway – Florida Keys

The Overseas Highway leaps from island to island across 42 bridges southwest through Florida Keys and it was built in 1938 along the course of an old railroad that has been destroyed by a hurricane. The highway is mostly over water and in about four hours you can enjoy the beautiful scenery and the ocean and of course, the incredible sunrises and sunsets if you come here at the right time. During holidays the traffic will make journeys through this highway a bit longer but I’m sure everyone would love to stay on this road as long as possible.

Red Rock Scenic Road – USA

 The Red Rock Scenic Road winds through Sedona’s Red Rock Country, often called a “museum without walls”. The road provides a splendid view of the stunning red rocks which seem alive like a timeless spirit that captivates and inspires everyone. The Red Rock Scenic byway also passes through the Montezuma Castle National Monument and the Coconino National Forest giving every driver an amazing sense of intimacy with nature.

 Iroha-zaka – Japan

 Iroha-zaka is a winding road from Japan which connects central Nikko and Oku-Nikko. The road comprises of 48 curves and each corner has an ancient Japanese alphabet, starting in alphabetical order from I-ro-ha which also gave this road’s name. Iroha-zaka is actually made of two roads, one to come down and another to go up and they both have 48 curves matching the 48 letters of the ancient Japanese alphabet.

Atlantic Road – Norway

The Atlantic Road was voted as the Norwegian construction of the century and it’s a five mile long stretch of road connecting Molde and Kristiansund in this country. The road rides above some rough and uneven surfaces and it’s spectacular because it rises itself and falls at many places like a sea at the time of a rough tide. Apart from the incredible road itself, the scenery surrounding it could give any driver shivers.

Oberalp Pass – Switzerland

 The Oberalp Pass in an incredible road in the high Swiss mountains that’s an important link between Central Switzerland and the Graubunden Oberland. The road is really popular for all drivers from Europe but it’s only open during summer months. In winter this pass is closed for road traffic and the road itself is used as a ski slope, toboggan run and hiking trail!

North Yungas “Road of Death” – Bolivia

 The North Yungas Road is a 43 mile road connecting La Paz and Coroico deep into the Bolivian Andes. The road is name by the locals “El Camino de la Muerte” or the Road of Death and it was named the world’s most dangerous road in 1995. The road, famous for its extreme danger has a single lane width with terrifyingly drop offs, tight hairpins, narrow passages and almost no guardrails at all. The fog and rain can make visibility poor and the road surface muddy which adds even more dancer to any journey on this road. On average, there is a fatal accident every couple of weeks on this road and it is estimated that 200 to 300 travelers are killer per year on this treacherous road. Today however, the Youngas road has less traffic and it used mostly by travelers who want to feel its thrill.

Trollstigen – Norway

 One of the most notable attractions from the Fjord in Norway is the Trollstigen road, a steep winding mountain road located in the Rauma region. The word Trollstigen means the Troll Ladder in English and it represents a series of stunning roads with a breathtaking view and a couple of incredible waterfalls. This road is very narrow and leaves very few possibilities for vehicles to pass each other and with its steep 9% gradient and 11 hairpins it’s really, really challenging. But it’s all worth it if you get to the top where you’ll see this amazing road from above and the Stigfossen waterfall, a 320 m waterfall which falls down the mountain side.

Guoliang Tunnel Road – China

 The Guoliang Tunnel Road was built by 13 local villagers headed in only five years in the Taihang mountains in the Hunan province of China. Many villagers lost their lives in accidents during the construction of this tunnel but in 1977 it was opened to traffic. The tunnel carved from the mountains is 1,200 meters long, 5 meters high and 4 meters wide and its also one of the most dangerous roads in the world. This extremely beautiful scenic route was dubbed as “the road that does not tolerate any mistakes” and its a key destination on the Chinese tourism map.

San Bernardino Pass – Switzerland

 Another high mountain pass across the Swiss Alps is the San Bernardino Pass and the road that goes through it and connects the Swiss towns Misox and Hinterrhein is also one of the world’s greatest roads. The pass is located at 2,065 meters and the road has incredibly smooth roads, a lot of hairpins and challenging bends and of course, amazing scenic views. The road also goes through an impressive 6.6 km long tunnel.

Los Caracoles Pass – Andes

 Los Caracoles Road passes through the harsh terrain of the Andreas Mountains from the Andes on the way between Chile and Argentina. The road has many hard switchbacks on an extremely steep incline and numerous hairpins without any safety guard rails. For the most part of the year, this pass is covered by snow and that makes it incredibly hard to negotiate. Despite the fact that it’s one of the most challenging roads in the world, the Los Caracoles Pass has a strong safety record.

Col de Turini – France

 The Col de Turini is situated in a mountain pass in the south of France in the Alps at more than 1 mile above sea level. The road is included as part of a 20 miles rally stage every year of the Monte Carlo Rally in the World Rally Championship and it combines 34 hairpins and long stretch lines where cars can reach top speeds of over 110 mph. This stage is one of the most challenges stages from the WRC and apart from the wonderful road, the scenery also makes it one of the most attractive and exciting roads on Earth.

The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road – UAE

 The Jebel Hafeet Mountain Road in the United Arab Emirates extends for 7.3 miles with 60 turns up the mountain of a height of 1,219 m. The UAE road scales the mountain with a beautiful view of the desert below and ends at a parking lot with only a hotel and of course, a palace, belonging to the country’s rulers. The road is a mixture of fast straights and sweeping curves that merge perfectly from one to another forming this amazing driving road in the middle of the desert

Lysebotn Road – Norway

 The Lysebotn Road is considered one of the most breathtaking roads in Europe and it all starts with the narrow road up the steep walls of the Lysefjord, Norway. The road includes 27 challenging hairpins and a 1.1 km long tunnel at the bottom which also has 3 switchbacks inside to make things even more interesting.  The surface of the road is perfect and the ones who were already on this road think of it as a rollercoaster. It’s probably the most fun road from Norway and its last 30 km to Lysebotn will put a smile on every driving enthusiast’s face

Stelvio Pass – Italy

 From the Eastern Alps in Italy, the Stelvio Pass Road connects the Valtellina with Merano and the upper Adige valley. This is the second highest paved mountain road in the Alps and its situated at an altitude of around 1.7 miles (about 2,757 meters) above sea level. The Stelvio Pass is one of the best continuous hairpin routes in the world and its fame came from the presence of 48 hairpin bends and the fact that the road becomes very narrow at some points and it has a couple of very steep inclines. This road is regarded by many car enthusiasts as one of the most challenging roads in the world and it’s scenery is absolutely breathtaking and spectacular.

Transfagarasan – Romania

The Transfăgărășan (that’s the exact spelling) is the highest and most dramatic paved road from Romania. Built as a strategic military route by the former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu between 1970 and 1974, this road connects the historic regions of Transylvania and Wallachia, and the cities of Sibiu and Pitesti. The Transfagarasan represents 90 km of twists and turns run North to South across the tallest sections of the Carpathian Mountains between the highest peaks of the mountain in this country.

On top of the mountains this road provides access to Balea Lake, a glacier lake which has been here for thousands of years and it also has an almost 1 km long tunnel straight through the mountain’s top. The road was built at a high cost both financially and from a human standpoint with more than 6 million kilograms of explosive being used on the northern face and official records of 40 soldiers who lost their lives while building it. Unofficial records however mention that only the tunnel took about 400 lives.

The north end of the road is the most spectacular and it’s dotted with steep hairpin turns, long S curves and sharp descents combined with an absolutely stunning view! Between October and June this road is under the snow and usually closed so… that means only a couple of months in the summer it’s available to enjoy a pure driving pleasure. Top Gear also named this road as the best road in the world !

 Source: http://carsroute.com/top-15-most-beautiful-roads-in-the-world/