My solution to the flexi-wings

[shelly]

Scz (=downforce coefficient * area) is near 1-1,4 for a front f1 wing.
So you are a bit overestimating (you are taking it to be 2.16)

[volarchico]

Scz (=downforce coefficient * area) is near 1-1,4 for a front f1 wing.
So you are a bit overestimating (you are taking it to be 2.16)

Seriously? What area is that definition based off of? I was estimating the area using a vertical projection onto the ground plane.

Thanks for the info, though! I guess it makes sense that they wouldn't run at their absolute maximum downforce angle of attack, but at their best L/D angle...? Still, just surprising it's so low compared to what is possible from a fairly simple wing without ground effect or multiple elements.

Is this value for the 2009-2011 spec front wing?

[raymondu999]

Why would the downforce be a function of the area in vertical projection? Wouldn't that mean that the same wing with a more aggressive AoA would actually produce less downforce?

[volarchico]

Why would the downforce be a function of the area in vertical projection? Wouldn't that mean that the same wing with a more aggressive AoA would actually produce less downforce?

It's called "estimation". It's easy to estimate dimensions of the front wing from a top-down view. This will actually get you a fairly close estimate of "wing area" in the sense of standard aerodynamics. Do you have a better method of getting a quick, rough estimate on the amount of downforce that is created by the front wing? I simply used Z=1/2*rho*V^2*(area)*Cz. Like shelly wrote before, he thinks that (Cz*area) is actually ~1.4 instead of the 2.2 like I had estimated. It's all about whatever standard has been set. Reference area could be anything. Reference area could be the frontal area, if they then scaled their coefficient appropriately!