Rear wing flex and FIA regulatory test 2021

[OO7]

Red Bull rear wing wobbling while launching off the line at the start, from 0 to 5 - 15 mph.

[Chene_Mostert]

Red Bull rear wing wobbling while launching off the line at the start, from 0 to 5 - 15 mph.
https://i.imgur.com/QJhbqf1.gif

jesus, RB is getting the whole pit complex to wobble. Adrian, as always, thinking outside the box.

[Big Tea]

Red Bull rear wing wobbling while launching off the line at the start, from 0 to 5 - 15 mph.
https://i.imgur.com/QJhbqf1.gif

jesus, RB is getting the whole pit complex to wobble. Adrian, as always, thinking outside the box.

[OO7]

Red Bull rear wing wobbling while launching off the line at the start, from 0 to 5 - 15 mph.
https://i.imgur.com/QJhbqf1.gif

jesus, RB is getting the whole pit complex to wobble. Adrian, as always, thinking outside the box.

The Red Bull of Perez (behind Max) serves as a reference that shows the rear wing does bend sideways quite significantly.

[El Scorchio]

Are there any comparisons available for other cars? I've never really noticed how the rear wings behave on race start.

[RZS10]

AT practice start from this year:
https://streamja.com/aXX1z

[OO7]

AT practice start from this year:
https://streamja.com/aXX1z

The whole rear wing vibrates in that AT practice start gif. With the Red Bull it just angles to one side then straightens up, no vibration.

[RZS10]

Well it's hard to judge from a gif that has two frames, isn't it?

[El Scorchio]

AT practice start from this year:
https://streamja.com/aXX1z

Thanks! I'd imagine they probably all behave quite similarly, but who knows! As you say the gif of the RBR could be a little misleading.

[OO7]

Well it's hard to judge from a gif that has two frames, isn't it?

I created the gif from the original footage and there's very a very minor constant vibration throughout the rear wing, then it just leans to one side and straightens out again. The footage was from the replays shown during the Safety Car period on lap 8.

[LM10]

Well it's hard to judge from a gif that has two frames, isn't it?

I created the gif from the original footage and there's very a very minor constant vibration throughout the rear wing, then it just leans to one side and straightens out again. The footage was from the replays shown during the Safety Car period on lap 8.

What kind of benefit do you expect from a sideways wobbling rear wing?

[JordanMugen]

Well it's hard to judge from a gif that has two frames, isn't it?

I created the gif from the original footage and there's very a very minor constant vibration throughout the rear wing, then it just leans to one side and straightens out again. The footage was from the replays shown during the Safety Car period on lap 8.

What kind of benefit do you expect from a sideways wobbling rear wing?

Perhaps it causes the flow to become unstable, separate, stall and thus shed drag?

Though the downforce and drag created by the rear wing at under 25 mph is negligible (under 40 kg?), and you'd want to have the downforce anyway for the extra rear traction.

[Big Tea]

Well it's hard to judge from a gif that has two frames, isn't it?

I created the gif from the original footage and there's very a very minor constant vibration throughout the rear wing, then it just leans to one side and straightens out again. The footage was from the replays shown during the Safety Car period on lap 8.

What kind of benefit do you expect from a sideways wobbling rear wing?

just a 'passing thought' but what effect would the disrupted air from that have on a following (or passing) car?

[Stu]

I created the gif from the original footage and there's very a very minor constant vibration throughout the rear wing, then it just leans to one side and straightens out again. The footage was from the replays shown during the Safety Car period on lap 8.

What kind of benefit do you expect from a sideways wobbling rear wing?

just a 'passing thought' but what effect would the disrupted air from that have on a following (or passing) car?

Not as much as the outwash from the front wing/barge-board combo (the air from the wing is moving upwards as it is). At these super low speeds (where the cars do not run on-track) the effect would be zero. It does suggest that the structure of the wing is designed to operate in the loaded state, rather than unloaded (this phenomenon is largely unnoticeable during running - except for in super-slow-mo shots over kerbs - a lateral force rather than longitudinal).

Much noise has been made about the RB upper element flapping during practice in Brazil, this looks to have been caused by a DRS mechanical failure, during scrutineering checks if this caused the flap to exceed the 85mm permitted gap it would have lead to a DSQ (as suffered by Mercedes).
When the DRS is open the top flap still generates downforce, the pivot locations are closely controlled (at the rear edge of the flap), making it physically impossible for the airflow to over-open the slot gap from that mechanically allowed by the mechanism.

What is interesting this weekend is that we are seeing what Red Bull were going to the stewards about last week. They actually believe that Mercedes are flexing the rear of the lower element (this is not a tested item during the load tests as far as can find). If (potentially a big if!) this is what Mercedes are doing, then hats off to them, a great play and obviously something that Red Bull have also looked at but not dare race!!

[MtthsMlw]

According to AMuS this year's TD will be extended:

The word in the paddock is that the rules makers have already given the ten teams a heads-up. The technical directive, which was only introduced in the summer as a reaction to allegedly too flexible rear wings - pushed by Mercedes against Red Bull - is to be extended to include a new passage with a special test. Specifically tailored to Red Bull's complaint.

Also says this will come into effect starting in Saudi Arabia

https://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/for ... egel-test/