747-400 -v- -8 wingtip design - Applicable to cars?

Hey guys,

This is rapidly becoming my "go to" section - So much cool stuff, and no "noise".

It seems that a few years back the designers realized they could improve lift by limiting what I'll call "spill-out" by putting winglets at the tips - Initially only on the upper edge, but subsequently also on the underside. My (limited) understanding of aerodynamics & Mr Bernoulli etc can make sense of that thinking. Very cool.

I recall there's a company (Boeing subsidiary?) that will retrofit the "winglets" and hence improve many older designs. Again, very cool.

Then, along comes the -8 and all that thinking goes out the window! [I stole one of Lou's -8 pictures & found a 400 one for comparison.]

Given that much race car technology comes from aerospace, I'm wondering if they've all currently got their heads up their arses with their front wing designs!...... I'll find some pix to illustrate next, but F1 front wings seem to be following the -400 principle - "Trap" the air "inside" the wing....... But, assuming the -8 is more efficient maybe they should look at the same approach?
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Ok, here's a pic of a "modern" F1 front wing - Seems they're heavily adopting the "winglet" principle and stopping any "spill" (There's gotta be a better term, but I don't know it?) They've gone as far as doing 3 little "winglets" above the main plane!

Now, we know one of the biggest problems with F1 aero is the "sticky out" wheels turning the "wrong" way from an aero perspective. They want;

- To generate maximum downforce
- To "steer" the air away from the front tires.

Could a -8 style approach work I wonder?

Cheers,
Ian
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