Diffuser

AlphaTauri AT01 back view with the diffiuser

A Diffuser in Formula 1 racing is a component of the car's aerodynamics, located at the back of the car. Its main function is to control the airflow that passes through the car, and this helps to reduce drag and increase the overall speed of the car.

The Diffuser works by directing the air flowing under the car through a series of channels and tunnels, which helps to increase the pressure on the underside of the car. This creates a downward force, known as "downforce", which helps to keep the car stable and improve its handling.

The Diffuser's shape and size are critical to its performance, and teams are constantly working to optimize these design elements to gain an advantage over their competitors. Some teams also use a "Double Diffuser" which is an advanced design that increases the amount of downforce generated by the Diffuser, providing an additional performance benefit.

In simple words, the Diffuser is the part of the car that helps to control the airflow around the car, which helps to reduce drag and increase speed, it is located at the back of the car and helps to keep the car stable while driving at high speeds.