Last year, Mercedes was the first team to interpret the out wash effect of the front wing in the least restrictive way: the Brackley technicians, in fact, had “challenged” the International Federation by proposing a different interpretation of the connection of the flaps with the side bulkhead.
Obviously, after the FIA hadn’t closed the door to a questionable development path, because Nikolas Tombazis and his collaborators didn’t want aerodynamics that were too conditioned by vortices, to allow for the cleanest possible wake in order to to allow the following car not to lose too much load to try to overtake, each team had tried to interpret the theme in its own way.
Detail of the Red Bull Racing RB19 endplate
Photo by: George Piola
Detail of the new front wing of the Ferrari SF-23
Photo by: George Piola
Red Bull on the RB19 had pushed with its own solution which was then taken up by Aston Martin and Ferrari: the Cavallino solution is fresh, given that it only made its debut in Austria. Now it’s Mercedes’ turn to push the investigation to the next level. In fact, James Allison’s aerodynamicists brought a new front wing to Silverstone that will cause controversy.
In spite of Red Bull and Ferrari who have significantly reduced the chord of the main profile, to make the second element (on which the nose rests) the priority one with a structural function, Mercedes has chosen the opposite path.
Mercedes W14, detail of the new front wing with the channel recreated near the side bulkhead
Photo by: George Piola
The main profile, in fact, significantly increases the chord towards the endplate and near the side bulkhead offers us a curl thanks to which it is possible to review that channel that characterized the front wings in 2021, when the design of the flaps was not bound by standards specifications.
Furthermore, on the W14 we see a real separation of the three additional flaps with respect to the side bulkhead: each element that is curved upwards connects to a mini support that protrudes horizontally from the endplate, guaranteeing a qualitative air passage which significantly increases the out wash effect.
Mercedes W14: here is the new front wing with extreme solutions around the endplate
Photo by: George Piola
If we add to all this that the side bulkhead itself has been skilfully twisted to optimize the amount of flow that is pushed past the front wheel, it is easy to understand how the Mercedes technicians have opened up a new line of research.
Naturally the side bulkhead is not lacking in the internal trailing edge of two flaps curved downwards which act as a “cover” for the channel that has been recreated, while in the external part we observe the spoiler slanted upwards, according to the dictates of the latest fashion.
Last detail to point out: the incidence regulator of the last flap was also designed in such a way as to become an aerodynamic element useful for conveying the flows according to the scheme which was studied in the wind tunnel.
Among the supports of the adjustable flap there is the outermost one which is clearly a flow diverter, taking up the concept that Ferrari had already cleared customs at the debut of the SF-23 at Fiorano, after the rule had been rewritten, given that a solution a similar car was rejected last year during the inspection in Mexico after it had only been shown in the Austin pit lane.
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