Rear panel

[Beagler]

Why is the panel over the fuel tank a honeycomb alloy piece. Is it because its over the fuel tank and has some property that is required. Could it be replaced with marine ply.

[David Brown]

Crash protection. 

[Beagler]

Thanks.

[ChrisC]

It's honeycomb aluminium for fuel tank protection.  That protection is extended on racers to completely cover the tank, although I believe bag tanks may become mandatory.  On racers they also cover the ply with an aluminium sheet and seal the boot with aluminium tape.   My 96 car had a full ply boot floor.

[Beagler]

Wouldnt think it would be much good in a crash from rear as its only held in with a few self tappers.

[ChrisC]

It may only be held by a few self tappers, but is wider than the turrets so has to be bent to move forward.   Don't have any personal experience of a rear end accident so can't comment how effective it is.

[Roger Ford]

It doesn't need to be particularly secure, its purpose is to absorb an impact which might otherwise puncture the fuel tank. Being on top, it's not really designed for a rear impact (the rear panel one does that) but to protect from anything coming in through the boot. If you've ever seen one of the more extreme crash videos, you could expect an impact coming from almost any direction.

No suggestion currently that bag tanks (or fuel cell tanks to be more accurate) will become compulsory for racing generally. I think it's unlikely that Caterham Motorsport would go that way either, as it's a big extra expense which they'd have to add onto the Academy price. Of course they could make it part of the paid upgrade to one of the higher such as 270R or 310R.