Tommy Cookers wrote:we might think that as such DF has a neutral effect on cornering ......
assuming the DF component is in the plane of the motorcycle (ie there's no asymmetrical effect eg due to slip angles/AoA etc )
and that the rider leans to the same angle as the bike is leaned, and that angle is equivalent to maximum possible cornering .....
the component of DF normal to the road surface increases the contact load and so increases (potentially) total centripetal force
enough to compensate exactly for total centrifugal force being increased by the centrifugal component of the DF
but with the bike/wing lean angle being less than the combined bike/rider lean angle there is a cornering benefit .....
because then DF will then increase total centripetal cornering force more than it increases total centrifugal cornering force
(imagine if a very lightweight bike was upright and very heavy rider was leaning horizontally, the DF would be rather beneficial)
and even without DF the bike will at speed be front light due to the moment from the aero drag etc
so yes, the time is right for a bit of DF
btw - I have not seen on the TV values of lean angle data over 61deg
As an interesting point, going further on that subject, it could develop down a route, once the teams get better with aero, riding styles where the rider hangs off further could exploit DF better. This could be very interesting or very weird path or most likely the FIM would try to eliminate aero DF. I do like the fact that, as it stands, the front wings are anti wheelie devices and could increase high speed braking capacity. I don't know if aero DF suits motorcycle racing any further than that though, as they've been trying to use DF for years without ever really finding much benefit.