How many professional aerodynamic engineers, or anyone with detailed knowledge of this field are on this site? The McLaren front wing is a puzzle.
Starting on the straight, the center of the front wing is high. It takes a certain high speed, therefore very high down force, before it dips down almost out of sight. Now, the car is very fast, as this drag is minimized.
As soon as the braking starts, it pops up fast. It is in this position for all corners, and at all lesser speeds.
Questions:
1 - Are the flow patterns, and so drag, at the different heights significant enough ?
2 - What does the movement occur on? Torsion on the end plates is obvious answer - is that correct?
3 - The end plates are wide front to back, broad side-to-side, and so are important front wings. They are outside the so called exempt "central box". Do they get enough torsion from the mobile mid-section to reduce drag on the straights?
4 - A significant force keeps the "exempt" mid-section down. That is gone at the corners, the mid-section is in the highest level, different flow pattern. Is that enough to follow another car at the corners, without losing much grip?
5 - Does this mean the car has two front wings, one for the fastest segments and one for the slower speeds, from the same wing?
6 - Does this give racing advantage? Canada, USA and Monza, etc.
7 - What do the FIA people think the up and down movement of the mid-section occurs on - springs? That carbon fiber is very strong - it has to move something; here it twists its wide end segments, the front-end wings, to reduce drag at top speeds and increase down force at all corners and slower speeds.
So, any thoughts people - experts or not in the field of aerodynamics!
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Coventrysucks
