F1technical.net

I've sent this on 4th September to Renault, but since I got no reply, here it is for the eyes of the world.



It is very simple idea based on fact that front adjustable wings can't generate enough DF when angle is increased so drivers have problems with following at close distance and overtaking.

I'm proposing a simple horizontal flap (aerodynamically neutral, no DF no UF) to be placed longitudinally at position reached by wing when fully raised. That way a wing would get big gurney-flap when DF is all that matters, and be completely free of flap created drag once it is lowered.

These simple sketches tell it all:

principle:



approximate position:

Hmm neat and interesting idea Manchild as usual.

You have a very interesting brain.

interesting idea Manchild

I think part of the current problem is the small adjustment range of only 6°.
Your idea, would also require a larger adjustment range (as seen in your animation) to be effective - IMHO

A Gurney flap usally works at 90° angle to the wing profile for main effect.
It would work at a different angle, but not to full effect.

Your idea would work better on high AoA (> 45°) - IMHO

very cool out of the box thinking.
Goes along an idea i had for f-duct type blowing of the front wing flap i had:
On low position of the flap the flap itself opens the duct to blow and stall the flap to reduce effective AoA so you can run a lot more front wing.

Thanks for the compliments.

I reckoned since we're talking about use of several seconds only, that despite drag greater than one generated by 90 degree GF, this would add a lot of DF. Part of the air would hit endplate, and the rest that doesn't overflow the flap would spill to the car center-line since there is no endplate.

Perhaps they could make a slit in it (make it longitudinally hollow) to condition the flow more appropriately, or move it backwards, so that only small bit of it faces the upwash stream.

EDIT: What if it would be like on first pic on lower set? Not reaching fully so that wing and flap meet, but having space between at max position?

Remaining two are visual out-loud thinking - in the middle is virtual 90 degree version achieved by longitudinal cut, and the one on the bottom is also intended to achieve approximate 90 degree effect.

What if instead of neutral flap, a flap shaped like wing would be used? That way there'd be 90° angle between wing and flap.