Rear wing flex and FIA regulatory test 2021

[El Scorchio]

We always know who is protesting and/or seeking for clarification. There are a lot of example: rbr vs mercedes over DAS, Renalt vs AM over the pink mercedes, rbr vs ferrari over the engine...this time around all we have is just Mercedes talking to the media.

That's all that's in the public domain. You and I both have zero clue what's been discussed about rear wings amongst the teams and the officials. It's going to be a lot more than some comment from a driver.

In a year they have had a lot of time to discuss about rear wings. I certainly don't know what have been discussed but, base on what we know, there are a number of things that are questionable to say the least.

I really don’t know what point you think you’re trying to make.

[dans79]

Here is a another nice overview video of the topic at hand.

It goes through and explains all the current and future tests.

It also delves into the history of testing and the flexible body work rules.

[theblackangus]

I see we're all using vertical and horizontal interchangeably ... haha

Just goes to show how easy it is to misunderstand each other, dans calls the movement we observe vertical (i guess because it changes the vertical 'height' along the z axis), i call it horizontal (because it's relative to the horizontal line).

I think this has to be both vertical and horizontal.
The wing mounts are compressing at the trailing edge which mean the rear upper edge of the wing itself (which isnt flexing) is moving both rearward and downward in an arcing motion.

[RZS10]

Oh yea, of course, we had just discussed that a few posts back but used different terms for the difference in height we see on the camera footage.

[Juzh]

Hamilton now says bendy wing could be worth "at least" 6 tenths in baku . Exaggeration? We'll see what kind of noises come out of mercedes camp in upcoming days and weeks. If it's true I don't expect this to go down quietly at all.

at 1:39

[Just_a_fan]

He's obviously being fed info or picking it up around the team. As the most public member of the team, it's not a bad way to get it out there to the media. It does sound a bit like him having a moan, of course, but I don't suppose the team are too worried by that. So long as it has the desired effect of putting scrutiny on the Red Bull and pressure on the team to deal with it.

Typical F1 "politics in public", really.

[mkay]

Hamilton now says bendy wing could be worth "at least" 6 tenths in baku . Exaggeration? We'll see what kind of noises come out of mercedes camp in upcoming days and weeks. If it's true I don't expect this to go down quietly at all.

at 1:39

I don't think so. Given it could be worth 2-3 tenths around a track like Barcelona, it doesn't surprise me to see it worth a lot more on a much longer track with 2 very long straights.

[El Scorchio]

Hamilton now says bendy wing could be worth "at least" 6 tenths in baku . Exaggeration? We'll see what kind of noises come out of mercedes camp in upcoming days and weeks. If it's true I don't expect this to go down quietly at all.

at 1:39

I don't think so. Given it could be worth 2-3 tenths around a track like Barcelona, it doesn't surprise me to see it worth a lot more on a much longer track with 2 very long straights.

I can see it too. The added downforce round the old town part with the wing 'up' and the extra speed with it 'down' on the massive straights.

But if I were RBR and there was no danger of actually getting excluded from qualifying or the race afterwards (can't see there would be even with an official protest?) I'd absolutely run it there. It could give precious extra points.

[bosyber]

Hamilton now says bendy wing could be worth "at least" 6 tenths in baku . Exaggeration? We'll see what kind of noises come out of mercedes camp in upcoming days and weeks. If it's true I don't expect this to go down quietly at all.

at 1:39

I don't think so. Given it could be worth 2-3 tenths around a track like Barcelona, it doesn't surprise me to see it worth a lot more on a much longer track with 2 very long straights.

I can see it too. The added downforce round the old town part with the wing 'up' and the extra speed with it 'down' on the massive straights.

But if I were RBR and there was no danger of actually getting excluded from qualifying or the race afterwards (can't see there would be even with an official protest?) I'd absolutely run it there. It could give precious extra points.

McLaren's Seidl is also talking about how it will help their competition especially at Baku Racefans.net: McLaren strongly disagree w ... delayed clamp down:

“From our point of view there is no reason after not just one team – we talk about more teams here – had already the advantage of doing things which in our point of view are clearly against the regulations,” he explained.
...
Some teams appear to have designed their rear wings to flex at speed in order to reduce the drag they generate on straights. Those teams will enjoy a particular advantage at the next round of the championship in Azerbaijan, Seidl believes, as the Baku circuit usually sees the highest top speeds of the year.

Note too that he's not (just) addressing Red Bull; explicitly saying more teams, presumably some (Ferrari perhaps? Alpine? AT?) that are competing for 3rd among them for them to be so adamant.

[SiLo]

They have to give the teams some time to make changes, but yes it would be nice to see the FIA give them a bit less time. Maybe we will see some protests in Baku?

[RZS10]

Weird that Seidl is saying this since McLaren has a very similar level of flex as Alpine and Ferrari, the differences are really small.

[El Scorchio]

Just heard them referred to as 'limbo wings', which is quite a good name.

Soundbyte from Wolff just now that said they are annoyed the FIA has taken so long to act on it. That indicates to me this has been a talking point behind the scenes for a while rather than something that sprung up last race weekend. Hamilton's comment was then, I assume, to add pressure and hurry them along.

[Juzh]

Toto is now threatening with protests in baku and even mentioning ICA, so you bet this'll blow up soon. He does it in his usual one dimensional approach. First he claims video evidence shows wings are illegal because theirs doesn't bend, then immediately goes on and claims new tests present new opportunities they'll have to take advantage off by softening their RW as if that somehow won't go against "spirit of the rules" .

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/wolf ... k/6511928/

“We will need to modify our wing,” said Wolff. “We need to soften it. Our wing is extremely rigid complying to the famous article 3.8 that [demands] it must remain immobile.

“The new test that has been introduced is a half-baked solution, which is giving us opportunity. So the whole thing can soften and bend more in future.”

Why? You just said wing must be immobile, no matter what tests are applied to them. Introspection = zero.

[Hoffman900]

Toto said if they don't enforce it, then they'll be forced to invest and join the fray for Baku. Not that it isn't against the spirit, but if the FIA doesn't want to act, then, they too will do it.

[Just_a_fan]

Toto is now threatening with protests in baku and even mentioning ICA, so you bet this'll blow up soon. He does it in his usual one dimensional approach. First he claims video evidence shows wings are illegal because theirs doesn't bend, then immediately goes on and claims new tests present new opportunities they'll have to take advantage off by softening their RW as if that somehow won't go against "spirit of the rules" .

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/wolf ... k/6511928/

“We will need to modify our wing,” said Wolff. “We need to soften it. Our wing is extremely rigid complying to the famous article 3.8 that [demands] it must remain immobile.

“The new test that has been introduced is a half-baked solution, which is giving us opportunity. So the whole thing can soften and bend more in future.”

Why? You just said wing must be immobile, no matter what tests are applied to them. Introspection = zero.

It's a warning to the FIA that they either get on top of it or there will be a "flexi wing war".