New front wing design hits the track for the first time
The second and last in-season testing saw the first versions of the 2019 front wing design hitting the track for the very first time, F1Technical.net’s Balázs Szabó reports from the track.
Williams, Force India and Red Bull were the first teams to get the first taste of next year’s front wings at the Hungaroring on the opening day of the post-Hungarian GP test.
In a bid to improve on-track overtaking, Formula One is set to introduce a series of aerodynamic modifications from the 2019 season. Next to alterations to the bargeboards, brake ducts and rear wing endplates, the changes to the front wings will be the most significant. The wing will need to be 200mm wider and 25mm deeper than this season, while complicated upper flaps and endplates will be eradicated.
As the front wing has a huge impact on the way how air flows on the bodywork surfaces, teams are keen to use the last in-season test session of the season to take the new design to the track.
Williams and Force India publicly declared earlier this month that they would be ready with the first design of their 2019 front wing.
The Red Bull and Force India designs are similar with both featuring four flaps above the main wing plane, with long, slightly curved endplates. Williams' solution is similar, but the upper flaps have a slightly more aggressive design with the last two flaps being split into two halves.
The most remarkable and visible change is the removal of the cascade wings. These modifications are intended to make it easier to follow other cars than it has been possible in the last seasons.
