F1technical.net

The reasons for wing dihedral on a race car (operating in ground effect) are different than for an aircraft (operating out of ground effect). Dihedral in an aircraft wing promotes roll stability, albeit at a price in drag coefficient. Dihedral in a front wing on an open wheel race car is employed to reduce the turbulence effects from the front wing on the airflow path to the under tray. You want the center of the front wing high and out of the way, and the outer portions low so that the outer wing section and end plates can maximize the ground effect.

F1 wing airfoils are complex 3D profiles, and are set at an AoA that has them right on the edge of stall most of the time. Downforce is more critical than drag with an F1 car. However, with an aircraft, an airfoil that goes into stall is deadly.

Aerodynamicist#1 wrote:On aircraft dihedral or anhedral is used for lateral stability. I'm guessing that the same principle applies to F1 wings??

No, it' more related to 3D affects.

Most of the downforce in an F1 chassis is generated by the underbody. The front and rear wings, while they do contribute a substantial amount of downforce, are used more to balance the front/rear location of the aero center of pressure.

Since the underbody and front/rear wings are fixed geometry aero devices according to the rules, the most important device for maintaining consistent aero performance is the suspension. Roll in cornering, squat in acceleration, and dive in braking all can upset the delicate aero balance of an F1 chassis.

riff_raff wrote:Most of the downforce in an F1 chassis is generated by the underbody. The front and rear wings, while they do contribute a substantial amount of downforce, are used more to balance the front/rear location of the aero center of pressure.

That doesn't hold true for all F1 cars.
Even if some of them (like the F2004) had effectively more underbody downforce than the wings, this is not the case for recent cars.

Next year cars will be even more the opposite with underbody representing about 15 to 20% of the total downforce.

riff_raff wrote: Since the underbody and front/rear wings are fixed geometry aero devices according to the rules, the most important device for maintaining consistent aero performance is the suspension. Roll in cornering, squat in acceleration, and dive in braking all can upset the delicate aero balance of an F1 chassis.

Yes suspension play a role, but the reason why the profile are in 3D so complex is for all the dynamics and flexibility is also used. See the shark fins, they are used precisely for improving downforce under turn in.

But of course suspensions plays a large role.