Abstract
A quarter car model with a conventional suspension system is used to study the transient response characteristics of modern racing cars under the influence of aerodynamic lift forces. The sum of forces along the gravitational axis represents an equivalent weight of the car at different speeds and lift coefficients. The value of the equivalent weight of the racing car (the static weight and the aerodynamic downforce corresponding to any given speed) are used in modifying the inertia (mass) matrix of the vehicle. This modified equation represents an effective dynamic system whose response functions and simulated motion along the vertical axis are compared. (A)