F1technical.net

The front wing end plates on all the 2009 spec wings seen so far feature flat plates whereby the flat surface is normal to flow (i.e. facing forward). This looks particularly unaerodynamic, so I had assumed the shape was mandated by the rules... but I've looked at the rules and can't find where this is specified... anyone else found it, or think of a reason why its there?

Machin

I think there are two things going on here. One is optics - the endplates aren't as flat as you think. I believe they bulge slighty close the the rear (vertical) fence.

Also now that the central section is a standard part which generates no downforce the rest of the wing needs to generate a lot of downforce. The vertical fences stop the air - static pressure is very high which creates a ton of downforce (and plenty of drag of course)

True, but looking at the BMW, it seems to me that this high static pressure area has a horisontal plate on top as well, thereby neutralizing any downforce gained?

It is all very puzzing.

xpensive wrote:True, but looking at the BMW, it seems to me that this high static pressure area has a horisontal plate on top as well, thereby neutralizing any downforce gained?

It is all very puzzing.

Think of the vertical plate as generating high pressure to drive vortex formation at the corners of the horizontal plates . . . then think about where those vortices might go

the vortices will go right on the wheel and thus reducing the drag caused by the front wheel,does i am right ?

Could very well be that way GT3, but I still think that I understand the Honda execution better, without the top horisontal plate. It seems to me their shape should both reduce front-wheel drag, as well as contribute to the downforce?

...Its interesting that no team has used this principle (assuming its correct) until now... its only a feature of the 2009 wings, not the 2008 or earlier wings... OK I guess it could be due to the fact that the wings are now wider (although that means that any vortices would surely travel down the side of the tyres.... rather than onto the face of them???)...

Looking att images of F1 cars of the early 70s, trying to shield the front wheels with wings or bodywork was a popular theme, where Tyrrell was the obvious winner with the six-wheeler P34. Hopeless from other aspects though.

well team last year didnt need to use this trick cause appendice and all sort thing of thing that you saw on 2008 spec front wing are now illegal so they a have to design a new wing that can create a vortice in front of the wheel like the 2008 spec front wing did but without all the appendice.

snoro wrote:well team last year didnt need to use this trick cause appendice and all sort thing of thing that you saw on 2008 spec front wing are now illegal

I disagree.... the rules concerning front wing end plates are covered by regs 3.7.5, 3.7.6 and 3.7.7.

The combination of 3.7.5 and 3.7.6 means that teams MUST run front wing end plates which have an "L" type shape when viewed from the front -with the horizontal section of the L pointing away from the centre line (3.7.6), and the vertical section running Fore-aft (interestingly the vertical section of the L doesn't need to be perfectly perpendicular to the car centre line, so it can be curved or "wavy" when viewed either from above or from the front -it simply must be contained in a box between 750 and 840mm from the car centreline and between 75mm and 275mm from the reference plane).... In addition 3.7.7 allows the teams to use up 15,000mm^2 of material (as measured if any vertical longitudinal section were taken in this area) in the space outside (i.e. away from the car centre line)the vertical section of the "L".... this would allow them to use almost any amount of flip-ups etc (15,000mm^2 is quite a lot, even if the elements are 10mm thick), or none at all if they desired.

Using these rules it is perfectly possible to recreate the same sort of Front wing end plates that were used in 2008... and no need to place a vertical element on the aft edge of the end plate which has its largest face facing into the flow (as all the 2009 wings seen so far have)...

Very odd.......

thanks for correcting me machin

McLaren's interim option.:

http://f1.gpupdate.net/nl/photolarge.ph ... catID=3667

Looks also like the end of the needlenoses... i mean Williams, BMW, McLaren blunt nosecones again.

If the wake/turbulence sensitivity of the front wing is to blame for the lack of overtaking, why didn't the FIA outlaw it completely, should be easy enough to police and certainly reduce the risk of first-lap accidents?

Thinking about it, without the front wing, perhaps you would get more grip the closer you get to the car ahead, as front-wheels typically produces aerodynamic lift, no?

Perhaps because that's a stupid idea?

I don't think that needs an explanation.

Look at what BMW said today... http://f1.gpupdate.net/en/news/2009/01/ ... -schedule/

"The latest components to have been produced are, for example, the front wing end plates. The regulations for these were only finalised in the middle of December."

So those until now were just temporary?