W06 Front Wing Discussion

[Morteza]

© Giorgio Piola

In China Mercedes have introduced a very extreme version of this front wing originally debuted last year on the F1 W05. The main differences are in the shape of the section closest to the endplate, with a more square-edged arch. In total there are five elements just ahead of the front tyre, designed to better divert airflow towards the outside of the wheel and reduce drag. This section is easy to spot in its original, unpainted carbon colour. Also new on the F1 W06 in Shanghai is the rear wing, featuring cuts in the flap in the sections close to the endplates.

[turbof1]

Thanks for sharing that Morteza.

IMO, the ones at F1.com never did any major effort into elaborating on the tech updates, and often don't have their facts straight. It's no different in that piece:
-There are 6 elements in front of the wheel. If they said 5 elements across the wing, I would have accepted that, but their mention of "in front of the wheel" made it very clear to which area they are referring to, and that area simply has and had 6 elements.
-Mercedes is not targetting anymore to get everything outboard, even though this update will very probably made them both more efficient and more effective in that. However, they also want to create a bit of inwash (@Wesley: the air they want wash to the inside of the tyre will probably go to the brake ducts and possibly sidepod inlets.)

On top of that, drawing the wing with the cascades and endplate is quite annoying since it will always block vision of the full update.

So what are we going to do about that? Simple, we'll thank Trinidefender for elaborating on the matter:
http://www.f1technical.net/features/20015

[henra]

So what are we going to do about that? Simple, we'll thank Trinidefender for elaborating on the matter:
http://www.f1technical.net/features/20015

Indeed!
He is probably spot on with his conclusions what they are trying to achieve with the changes.

I find the notch with the adjacent Guerney flaps particularly intriguing. This really shouts: creation of two opposing and thereby mutually stabilising vortices along the inner wall of the tyre. Very clever idea.

[Taqtix27]

http://i.imgur.com/XmqDogj.jpg

Does anyone by chance know the artist who does these drawings?

[SectorOne]

Giorgio Piola.

[giantfan10]

so this front wing in essence is trying to emulate the blown wheel nut ran by a few teams this year....hmmm wonder which solution costs more to develop

[Moose]

so this front wing in essence is trying to emulate the blown wheel nut ran by a few teams this year....hmmm wonder which solution costs more to develop

It's not trying to emulate it. It's trying to do one of the important functions of the blown wheel nut in a different way that doesn't rob as much clean air from between the front wheels.

[giantfan10]

so this front wing in essence is trying to emulate the blown wheel nut ran by a few teams this year....hmmm wonder which solution costs more to develop

It's not trying to emulate it. It's trying to do one of the important functions of the blown wheel nut in a different way that doesn't rob as much clean air from between the front wheels.

pretty much what i said....
maybe its just mercedes finding a solution for an issue when the simpler solution cannot be implemented without a major redesign of the front wheel hubs.....

[PlatinumZealot]

Thanks for sharing that Morteza.

IMO, the ones at F1.com never did any major effort into elaborating on the tech updates, and often don't have their facts straight. It's no different in that piece:
-There are 6 elements in front of the wheel. If they said 5 elements across the wing, I would have accepted that, but their mention of "in front of the wheel" made it very clear to which area they are referring to, and that area simply has and had 6 elements.
-Mercedes is not targetting anymore to get everything outboard, even though this update will very probably made them both more efficient and more effective in that. However, they also want to create a bit of inwash (@Wesley: the air they want wash to the inside of the tyre will probably go to the brake ducts and possibly sidepod inlets.)

On top of that, drawing the wing with the cascades and endplate is quite annoying since it will always block vision of the full update.

So what are we going to do about that? Simple, we'll thank Trinidefender for elaborating on the matter:
http://www.f1technical.net/features/20015

F1.com only comment on what is confirmed so they won't put any tech interpretations in there. I would rate them at 90% credibility. They get most things right most of the time. They were wrong on the Honda Engine layout for example.

Speaking of that... Matt Sommerfield seems to have landed himself a job with Planet F1. No haterade for breakfast today, I have my views on his interpretations, but congrats to him nonetheless on his achievement.

[PlatinumZealot]

http://i.imgur.com/XmqDogj.jpg

Does anyone by chance know the artist who does these drawings?

I think it is Georgio Piola.. but I may be wrong.

[GPR-A duplicate2]

so this front wing in essence is trying to emulate the blown wheel nut ran by a few teams this year....hmmm wonder which solution costs more to develop

It's not trying to emulate it. It's trying to do one of the important functions of the blown wheel nut in a different way that doesn't rob as much clean air from between the front wheels.

pretty much what i said....
maybe its just mercedes finding a solution for an issue when the simpler solution cannot be implemented without a major redesign of the front wheel hubs.....

Here is what Gary Anderson's take on it.
http://plus.autosport.com/premium/featu ... 1410944383

Normally, you would expect to see the first major upgrade at the start of the European season with next month's Spanish Grand Prix. But this year Mercedes has become the first to shoot its bolt with a new front wing introduced in China.

It's clearly a product from the same family as the previous-specification wing. But the changes in outer-end detail will improve the pitch sensitivity and provide more consistent downforce.

As I always say, peak downforce is all very well and good but if it's not consistent, it's no good. The driver can only drive to the troughs of the downforce, because that's what they know is there.

Looking more closely at the front wing, when the car is under braking and turning into the corner, the outer end of it gets very close to the ground. That is why, on many occasions, we see sparks coming from the front-wing endplate.

This can do one of two things to the aerodynamics of the car. This area of the front wing can stall because it just can't get enough airflow to keep the airflow attached to the aerodynamic surfaces and you will lose downforce.

The alternative is that it will increase the downforce by working harder what is called ground effect.

Either of these is not good for aerodynamic consistency, but the latter is the most difficult to work with.

If the front wing increases downforce on corner entry, then the car becomes very pointy and this will damage the rear tyres. The result is accelerated tyre degradation.

The instant cure for this is to run the car with less front-wing angle. This is the normal quick fix and it will make the car better on corner entry, but at the cost of having more understeer on corner exit or in a turn where there is very little braking.

This compromise will have a negative impact on laptime.

The Mercedes front-wing package should be a cure for both of these scenarios, producing a car that is faster and less aggressive on its tyres.

[PlatinumZealot]

so this front wing in essence is trying to emulate the blown wheel nut ran by a few teams this year....hmmm wonder which solution costs more to develop

The blown wheel nut is trying to emulate a good front wing!

[turbof1]

F1.com only comment on what is confirmed so they won't put any tech interpretations in there. I would rate them at 90% credibility. They get most things right most of the time. They were wrong on the Honda Engine layout for example.

The difference between 5 and 6 elements "just ahead of the front tyre" is not a tech interpretation. That's pure observation.

Other then that, well yes: I can understand restraint. And to be honest: I've seen both Scarbs and Somers count 7 elements, which is neither true. They probably thought that the element hidden right beneath the cascade, second main plane element, was split up. Especially because it's quite long.

[condor]

Here is what Gary Anderson's take on it.
http://plus.autosport.com/premium/featu ... 1410944383

Normally, you would expect to see the first major upgrade at the start of the European season with next month's Spanish Grand Prix. But this year Mercedes has become the first to shoot its bolt with a new front wing introduced in China.

It's clearly a product from the same family as the previous-specification wing. But the changes in outer-end detail will improve the pitch sensitivity and provide more consistent downforce.

As I always say, peak downforce is all very well and good but if it's not consistent, it's no good. The driver can only drive to the troughs of the downforce, because that's what they know is there.

Looking more closely at the front wing, when the car is under braking and turning into the corner, the outer end of it gets very close to the ground. That is why, on many occasions, we see sparks coming from the front-wing endplate.

This can do one of two things to the aerodynamics of the car. This area of the front wing can stall because it just can't get enough airflow to keep the airflow attached to the aerodynamic surfaces and you will lose downforce.

The alternative is that it will increase the downforce by working harder what is called ground effect.

Either of these is not good for aerodynamic consistency, but the latter is the most difficult to work with.

If the front wing increases downforce on corner entry, then the car becomes very pointy and this will damage the rear tyres. The result is accelerated tyre degradation.

The instant cure for this is to run the car with less front-wing angle. This is the normal quick fix and it will make the car better on corner entry, but at the cost of having more understeer on corner exit or in a turn where there is very little braking.

This compromise will have a negative impact on laptime.

The Mercedes front-wing package should be a cure for both of these scenarios, producing a car that is faster and less aggressive on its tyres.

Gary simply has no idea what he's talking about. The FIA specifically introduced revised deflection tests couple of seasons back to try and halt the Red Bull juggernaut because they were precisely using the front wing deflection to increase ground effect downforce. Red Bull had gone to great lengths pioneering specific carbon fibre layup orientation to obtain desired deflection in one plane to benefit front end downforce while still passing the FIA mandated deflection tests.

[dans79]

Gary simply has no idea what he's talking about. The FIA specifically introduced revised deflection tests couple of seasons back to try and halt the Red Bull juggernaut because they were precisely using the front wing deflection to increase ground effect downforce. Red Bull had gone to great lengths pioneering specific carbon fibre layup orientation to obtain desired deflection in one plane to benefit front end downforce while still passing the FIA mandated deflection tests.

Fully read what he said. He said on corner entry, and he is correct you can still see the front wings get close to the ground, not because the wing flexed, but because of body role etc. What RBR was trying to accomplish was completely different.
Watch the Williams and Ferrari going into turn 1 in china they seem to show it a little more.