Imola Ferrari front wing

[arisen]

What is that cut in the middle of the front wing? (above the Bridgestone logo). Asymmetrical aero setup?

Is that allowed in the rules btw?

[Steven]

that is very assymatrical idd
And yes that is allowed! I can remember Renault running a different right and left side pod in the last couple of GP's of 2002. They had at the time brought out a new aero pack, which was in fact less cooling down the engine... therefore they ofter opted to use an older right part with more holes to enable hot air to flow away (that was used at the oil radiator side) and the other side was the new earo-package-style.
With this I'm not sure if this kind of assymetry is allowed on a front wing, but I assume it is (Unfortunately I don't know the FIA rules by heart )

[Zlatiborac]

Yes, but only Michael used that wing!


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[rapier84]

yup, thats an assymetrical aero setup. Imola got more turns in one direction (left or right?) which requires probably more downforce on one side then the other. It might be interesting to know that on ruben's car, they are using different length torsion bars left/right at the rear...

[rapier84]

oh, btw, juz saw the rear wing setup of the f 2003ga, look at the rear wing at the top, you'll notice that the centre section is more curved than the edges...

check photo at:
http://www.grandprix.com/jpeg/phc/pspa0 ... er3-lg.jpg

[arisen]

oh, btw, juz saw the rear wing setup of the f 2003ga, look at the rear wing at the top, you'll notice that the centre section is more curved than the edges...

check photo at:
http://www.grandprix.com/jpeg/phc/pspa0 ... er3-lg.jpg

I'm thinking those act as flaps preventing boundary layer separation on the lower part of the wing. See pic

*edit: the host may not allow remote linking try cliking on the pic...

[Guest]

A bit more on this Ferrari front wing… One problem with an asymmetrical aero setup is that the car behaves differently at different speeds, but if you look at the pic below, it looks like at higher speeds, if the wing is flexible enough, it will just flex down, and then there’s a little “stopper” that will make it rest in position over the other side of the wing, so at higher speeds the setup is symmetrical.

http://www.freehomepages.com/formulaone8/MAL/12.html

[Mini Bernie]

Is it possible that this is just a standard front wing that became dislodged, as a result of riding the imola curbs?

I might sound a little sceptical but, if your going to run an asymmetrical setup, why put the major difference in the centre of the wing, where the difference in air speed, will be at a minimum?

all thoughts appreciated,
Bernie.

[Steven]

I just think they splitter the adjustable part in two, so you can see the difference in angle in the centre, but I think it's there all over the size of the wing.

[arisen]

Is it possible that this is just a standard front wing that became dislodged, as a result of riding the imola curbs?

That last picture is from Sepang (was my post but I forgot to log in ).

This is Brazil and highres Imola.

Would it be possible tho, that they only run the difference in the center to affect the airflow under the car, and not so much for downforce?

[Mini Bernie]

I could be wrong but I think the angle that the photo is taken at and, the angle of the car, cornering, and going over a curb, makes the one side of the wing look like its at a higher angle of attack.
However If a wing did become dislodged in this way, the whole of the section would probably bend up slightly.

I just can't see this sort of setup being better over a whole lap. The handling imbalance down a straight would ruin any gain round a corner in the right direction. Its not like racing on an oval, where all the corners go the same way.
On a side topic, did anyone see the research that was being done into banana shaped NASCARs, basically to generate an aerodynamic force in the horizontal plane to aid cornering?

As for affecting the undercar aerodynamics, the first problem with this wing will be the vortex it will generate, right down the middle of the car, that will reduce the efficiency of the whole undercar system.
It's no wonder the car is sliding in these photos.

Those who follow are always behind.
Bernie

[Monstrobolaxa]

arisen - those thing you mention are called the Gurney flaps they are used to seperate the air flow over the wing...this is the basic....next time I'll post a more detailed explanation....cause I have an article at home that talks about gurney flaps....see you in a couple of days.

[arisen]

arisen - those thing you mention are called the Gurney flaps they are used to seperate the air flow over the wing...this is the basic....next time I'll post a more detailed explanation....cause I have an article at home that talks about gurney flaps....see you in a couple of days.

cool, thx for the correction...

[Monstrobolaxa]

Humm...I checked the article I mentioned...and I was also a little wrong....a Gurney flap works the following way:

at high speeds and with big angles of atack the airflow (low pressure) beneath the wing tends to separate from the wing. The objective of the gurney flap is to create a even lower pressure imidiatly behind to gurney flap making the "seperated" airflow return close to the wing. The main problem of airflow separation is that it increases drag!

[Steven]

idd yes that is also why som much teams use it on their wings. Gurney flaps are quite efficient on wings, because, just like you say, increase the efficiency of the wing. The fact that that little flap causes more air resistance is most often not of very much importance, as the flap decrease air resistance on the underside of the wing