#aerogollumturbof1 wrote: YOU SHALL NOT......STALLLLL!!!
McLAREN RUSHING FLAT-OUT TOWARDS 2017
McLaren’s prototype front wing spotted at the Circuit of the Americas also featured an additional aero fence, again as part of F1 teams' preparations for 2017 (compare red arrows on the top picture). But the extra under-wing element was not the most striking novelty on the MP4-31 in Texas. Indeed, the curved profile on the outer board is now flat (compare red outlines in the middle two images), while it was believed the area could not be tweaked.
Devised by Mercedes in 2014, the arches form a sort of reversed funnel on the outer wing, which generates a vortex aimed at fending off the front wheel’s dirty wake. F1 technical expert Craig Scarborough has suggested that the potential introduction of bigger and more sophisticated bargeboards have rendered these arched sections less crucial when it comes to keeping the turbulent air at bay. Incidentally, it is therefore perhaps not surprising to see the Mercedes W07 sport smaller bargeboards, given the pronounced profile of its front wing arches.
McLaren chief engineer Peter Prodromou and his team are keen to collect sufficient data before fully committing to an aero philosophy that would break away from the Mercedes school of thought. As much as the arches are efficient, they also create drag, something aerodynamicists are always keen to limit, even more so with the introduction of wider tyres next year. Finally, it is worth noticing that despite the flatter outline, the McLaren prototype front wing still features upper flaps that bend downwards and towards the lower endplate.
MORE HOMEWORK FOR 2017 AT McLAREN
McLaren's preparations for next season included a series of tests to assess bodywork rigidity, using a camera (see yellow arrow) aimed at a specific chequered area on the rear end, as well as sensors on the floor (see red and white arrows).
With the car increasing in width and the diffuser 5cm higher and 5cm wider in 2017, the floor will sustain much higher loads.
What’s more, the edges of the winglet sitting atop the diffuser were more rounded.
#aerogollumturbof1 wrote: YOU SHALL NOT......STALLLLL!!!
Since 2009 much of the work that has gone on in terms of front wing complexity has revolved around aerodynamic outwash structures, but the return of much larger bargeboards for 2017 means that some of these artificial structures can be dealt with by a physical barrier.
McLaren's investigation seems to point toward a relaxation of the outwash design, used to pull the wake away from the floor and sidepods, and hints at a more balanced use of the wing to control the wake generated by the front wheel.
#aerogollumturbof1 wrote: YOU SHALL NOT......STALLLLL!!!
#aerogollumturbof1 wrote: YOU SHALL NOT......STALLLLL!!!