Flexible Front Wing

It is illegal.

The FIA is changing the test for the next race. The Ferrari and Red Bull wings have run their last race.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85817

"At the moment the endplates on the front wing are allowed to flex by a maximum of 10mm when a load of 50 kilogrammes (500 Newtons) is applied to them.

The FIA has told teams now that it reserves the right to increase that test up to 100 kilogrammes - and it will only allow a linear increase of deflection up to 20mm.

The linear increase is designed to ensure that teams are not using clever material design to ensure that their cars pass the deflection test to stay within the regulations but then flex much more at higher loads.

It is also understood that the FIA is to clamp down on teams using clever fixings and joints on the underfloor of the car – amid suspicions that this is one area that teams could also be exploiting the regulations.

Mercedes GP team principal Ross Brawn, who had sought clarification from the FIA about the flexible wing regulations, confirmed on Sunday night that he expected the tests to change for Spa."

 

Well we all know that Ferrari wouldn't do something against the rules.

 

It was not against the rules but it is now

 

This could give Ferrari a chance to narrow the gap with Red Bull. Ferrari and Red Bull are the only teams that have already gone down this hole. The two teams should have a leg up on the others. Hopefully Ferrari can make up for the growing gap to Red Bull.

 

Exactly, On the super slo-mo from Sundays race, most of the movement appeared to come from tyre sidewall flex. The high speed camera was on a bumpy corner rather than on the straight at high speed..

 

I'm surprised that the test uses only 50 or 100kg. Imagine the actual aerodynamic loads on wings at speed...

John

 

That load is only on one endplate so it would be double for both sides.

 

The wing passed all the tests and is not illegal, just a brilliant mind using engineering to take full advantage within the existing rule.

 

Absolutely and then another team copied his idea...Newey is a genius.

Colin Chapman was always coming up with amazing cars. The T79 ground effects car and the T88 twin chassis are a couple that instantly come to mind and what did the FIA do? They banned them

 

bah i dont want to see this banned because i think it is the main reason for the F10s form lately

 

Here is an interesting article on the subject..

check out the gif image, which shows the movement from the race in china.

http://scarbsf1.wordpress.com/2010/07/30/aero-elasticity-%E2%80%93-red-bulls-front-wing/

Redbull have been using highly flexible wings since early in the season, and now that Ferrari seem to have increased there performance by adopting the same ideas, the FIA are changing the testing procedure.

The team that has the most to gain from this, if Redbull's and Ferrari's wings fail the new test and have to fit new ones is Mclaren, as they have been very slow to react to the flexible wing advances, and have been the leaders in lobbying the FIA.

 

There's no 'ban'. The specs have just been tightened.... Now Ferrari needs to find the next smart - rule compliant - advantage before Newey and Red Bull!

 

well i mean the rules are tightened so now they will be illegal haha effectively banning them

 

Ferrari and RedBull have 4 weeks to figure out the layup of a wing that flexes under aero loads but will still handle the 100Kg/20mm weight/flex test that will be in place at Spa.

The way I look at it is if the wing flexs under load but still passed the FIA inspection process then it is legal under the rules even if it operated in the grey areas.

 

That was a great read, thanks for sharing.

 

Yes I agree. I don't think anyone is saying that Red Bull or Ferrari will face any penalties for using it in previous races.

 

Another money saving move by the FIA. Teams working within the regs find a way of improving their cars so the regs are changed forcing a redesign.
What a joke.

 

It's all relative though. Because RB's wing flexes about 2x more than Ferrari's, we will catch up to them if both teams have a rigid wing. IOW RB will lose out more than us. However, Mclaren will catch up to us, and with two fast tracks coming up, they might give us trouble. Hopefully Ferrari can refine their F-duct, and negate any advantage Mclaren has.

 

Source?

 

For those who say the FIA always sides with Ferrari, when Ferrari asked for clarification for Brawn's defuser, Ferrari lost.

When Brawn asked about Ferrari's flexible front wing (even though Whiting said it passed), Brawn won.

Brawn 2, Ferrari 0.

 

Just run spec cars already and kill the sport

 

The onboard camera above the driver's head showed an interesting view of the flex increasing as the cars gained speed. You could see the Red Bull wing drop steadily as the car reached top speed and then raise back up in the braking zone. The Ferraris did also but about half as much. This was easiest to see in the long onboard views during qualifying. None of the announcers mentioned it and I was suprised Steve M. didn't pick it up. This view negated the tire flex and bouncing that made drive by slo-mo hard to evaluate.

Robin

 

Here are some pictures from the link above. That article has a great technical analysis of what is going on with the RBR wing.
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Once upon a time, if you built a better mousetrap, the world would beat a path to your door. Now, the FIA Police show up and take the cheese. The more things change . . .