Sauber C31 Ferrari

[n smikle]

Sauber testing flexi wings above.

[PhantomPoster]

Why would you say that? If referring to the latest pictures posted, aren't they just pressure taps?

- PP

[timbo]

I had impression that passive-DRS systems were banned for next year? Apparently, it's not?

[raymondu999]

DRS-activated aero functions are banned. Passive stuff isn't.

[aleksandergreat]

I had impression that passive-DRS systems were banned for next year? Apparently, it's not?

Thats have nothing to do with DRS... This is just DRD (drag reduction sys) and yes is totaly pasive, with pressure/fluid swich etc.

[timbo]

DRS-activated aero functions are banned. Passive stuff isn't.

Ah, so this is just to passively curb the quadratic DF/drag dependence?

[raymondu999]

It's like an F-duct that activates automatically at a set speed. In theory

[n smikle]

Those sensors are Flexi-wing sensors people.

The Flexi front wing is one of the main enablers of Mclaren and Red Bull's speed. The Saube will be more consistent over a wider number of tracks with the Flex-wings which they did not have up until now.

[Kiril Varbanov]

Those sensors are Flexi-wing sensors people.

The Flexi front wing is one of the main enablers of Mclaren and Red Bull's speed. The Saube will be more consistent over a wider number of tracks with the Flex-wings which they did not have up until now.

Flexi-wing? That's not the right term, IMHO. These look like ride-height sensors, which are lasers measuring the clearance from the ground at any given time.
Usually, teams were running with just three arrays of sensors - two at the endplates, and one in the central section of the wing - the difference between central and end gives you the amount of flexibility of the wing.

I can't be totally sure that these are, actually, ride-height sensors - they look like temperature sensors, too.
Do we know which day these photos are taken from? I may be able to match them with the team's reports on different evaluations.

[McMrocks]

how should these things measure the ride high? they are at top of the frontwing. In my Opinion n smikle is right

[n smikle]

i am right. thanks.

People forgot about the Flexi-wings, but that was RedBull's and mclaren's secret weapon this year. I saw this long ago..

Even Ross Brawn has picked up on it:

http://planetf1.com/driver/18227/824636 ... RS-setback

"One of the conclusions we have reached is that the double DRS was a valid concept, but it slowed us down on other things," he told Autosprint.

"These days there's plenty of...'cunning' technology, let's call it that, around the front wing. But we had our system and our wings were designed around that concept.

"When it became clear what potential a different philosophy had, perhaps we should have taken a step back. In any case, next year's car won't have the double DRS, because the regulations don't allow it. So, we are evaluating alternative solutions."

[Huntresa]

hardly a secret tho

[Forza]

US GP - Wednesday

[Forza]

US GP - Friday Free Practice

[stefan_]

Brazil: