This is the story that some if the above images came from courtesy of motorsport.com
https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/what ... e/8599980/
Could be, but I think the idea that it's meant to control the flow over the top of the sidepod is probably a bigger part of its purpose.vorticism wrote: ↑01 Mar 2022, 23:29..... If this front exit duct is open, less air travelling through the main sidepod inlet moves through the radiators and sidepods generally (assumption). So, in cooler weather, they open up this bypass duct and reduce stagnation in front of the main inlet. In hotter weather, they close it to force all inlet air through the radiators. If they can tune it this way they wouldn't need to manufacture multiple engine cover geometries for different weather conditions, only change the relatively small 'bypass' panels on either side.
Finally see the underside of the new regsAeroDynamic wrote: ↑11 Mar 2022, 11:14@Albert Fabrega twitter
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FNjtO-vWQAA ... name=large
It looks to fed by the duct immediately in front of it, probably an inter cooler rather than a charge cooler.