Ferrari front wing

[miqi23]

Put simply, Ferrari is guilty of using an illegal wing.

No wonder they launched their new car with last years wing. They knew it that something is fishy about their new wing.

This is why I never liked Ferrari.

[zac510]

Put simply, Ferrari is guilty of using an illegal wing.

No wonder they launched their new car with last years wing. They knew it that something is fishy about their new wing.

This is why I never liked Ferrari.

You mustn't like McLaren and BMW too.

[Sawtooth-spike]

I am sorry but for some odd reason i have to say Ferrari is in a nice big fat grey area, i dont like the way they do buisness and i thinkthey get away with a lot, but this wing is currently in a grey area of the rules so intil the rules are cleared up they can use it. The question i ask is Should it be legal?

[miqi23]

Put simply, Ferrari is guilty of using an illegal wing.

No wonder they launched their new car with last years wing. They knew it that something is fishy about their new wing.

This is why I never liked Ferrari.

You mustn't like McLaren and BMW too.

Whats wrong with them? I like McLaren!

[RacingManiac]

you need to be pushing the boundary of the rule to stay at sharp end. It'd be rediculous to assume ones that you don't see on TV means they are not doing something similar.....

[zac510]

Whats wrong with them? I like McLaren!

Well they are 'guilty' of using an illegal flexible wing. the FIA have asked them to fix it up for Melbourne.

[kilcoo316]

Put simply, Ferrari is guilty of using an illegal wing.

No wonder they launched their new car with last years wing. They knew it that something is fishy about their new wing.

This is why I never liked Ferrari.

All the teams are taking the rules as far as they can, its extremely naive to think otherwise.

[dumrick]

What surprises me it's a certain naiveness from Ferrari to so clearly use that single pickup sliding point for that upper wing. It stresses their will to take advantage of the flexibility of the material to allow the angle of the wing to vary according to speed.

Another thing: this resource clearly leads to loss of front downforce with the increase of speed. That's ok if the only high-speed zones were the straights. But what about high-speed corners? With the flexing wing you'll loose front end grip, compared to if it didn't flex.

And to tweak more downforce to the front, to eventually add front end grip AND speed in high speed corners? Of course, they could add angle to the other flaps but, if they did allow speed to increase, then this upper flap would flex and make the car loose some downforce. This is kind of a paradox...
Anyway, they could be thinking of only using this wing in some circuits...

[RH1300S]

You know, Ferrari knew that the wing would pass tech inspection - So, why would they worry about what it looked like. I expect they know that other wings flex in a similar way. In some ways the front wing episode seems like a bit of a red herring - the rear wing on the other hand.........

As for the flexing/downforce - high speed corners. I expect that they will have done a very careful analysis of the drag/downforce trade-off for circuits where high speed corners matter. If the flex costs them downforce/time at some circuits - if I were Ferrari I would probably look at making a stiffer wing to deal with those situations. Anyway, the qero changes caused by the front wing - we are assuming they cost downforce - maybe not??? The relationship of the air-flow at the front of the car relative to the rear seems very complex - maybe they are moving the balance around?

[Jason]

Put simply, Ferrari is guilty of using an illegal wing.

No wonder they launched their new car with last years wing. They knew it that something is fishy about their new wing.

This is why I never liked Ferrari.

I agree with you

[RH1300S]

Put simply, Ferrari is guilty of using an illegal wing.

No wonder they launched their new car with last years wing. They knew it that something is fishy about their new wing.

This is why I never liked Ferrari.

That's a pretty nonsensical argument. Race cars develop over time, will anyone accuse Toyota of cloak and dagger stuff because they race with different bodywork from their launch?

If Ferrari had launched with that wing, frankly no-one would have taken any notice - there isn't usually a 200mph wind at a launch

[Deano]

if they they had designed it that way and it didnt conflict with the rules its probably the most ingenious idea in F1

[kilcoo316]

Another thing: this resource clearly leads to loss of front downforce with the increase of speed. That's ok if the only high-speed zones were the straights. But what about high-speed corners? With the flexing wing you'll loose front end grip, compared to if it didn't flex.

They have more than enough downforce in the high-speed corners, its the lower and medium speed corners where they need more. So sacrificing a little downforce at 150+ mph is of absolutely no concern to them.

[Mikey_s]

Agree with kilkoo - and additionally, who's to say theuy lose downforce - presumably the reason the put the slider in is top permit the lower elements to flex - which will almost certainly generate more downforce than the upper element.

In any case that fact that it is desgned like it is means that they have analysed the issue and designed the most appropriate solution.

[RH1300S]

Or put it another way, rather than LOSING downforce at high speed they are able to set the car up with MORE downforce at lower speeds than the would have done.

EDIT: I think it was Robin Herd said this about doing the active Williams....many people said that downforce in high speed corners is where to focus the effort, Robin Herd says that by getting downforce to work sooner/more effectively in low speed corners is where the active car gained most as in low speed corners you are traction limited, so the sooner the hand of downforce is pushing the tyres into the track the bigger the performance gain.........