Here is an image that is worth more than many words: we managed to catch a shot of the Alfa Romeo C42 splitter, while the car from Hinwil was being assembled in the Hungaroring pits.
It is very evident that the front splitter of the ground effect single-seaters born with the 2022 regulation is no longer part of the body, as it was until the most recent past, but is a metal element fixed to the frame cantilever with two attachment points that they allow an upward flexion controlled by the shock absorber equipped with cup springs.
What is the shock absorber for? To prevent the 10 mm thick board, which must be installed under the car, from being damaged in the impact on the curbs or by rubbing with the asphalt when the technicians are able to lower the height from the ground of the car looking for the maximum downforce thanks to the Venturi effect.
AlphaTauri AT03: here is the solution they developed in Faenza
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
This is the “spirit” with which the regulation was written, but it is evident that a designer does not draw such a showy (and heavy) metal lip if that structure cannot become useful in the pursuit of performance. And the exercise done very well by Alfa Romeo was carried out in different ways and modalities by all the teams.
The attempt, therefore, is to be able to flex up the front part of the imitation wood skate, so as to make the board crawl as much as possible both in the splitter area and in the tail where the bottom has the elbow. which generates the rear diffuser.
Ferrari F1-75: here is the Cavallino shock absorber and the smaller splitter compared to some competition
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
You may have noticed that at some point in the season the sparks that the skid blocks produced when the metal supports of the board crawled on the asphalt almost disappeared, contributing to images that were a delight for photographers.
The skid blocks were wanted by the FIA for two reasons: to protect the board from breakage and, therefore, from continuous and costly replacements; and offer the spectators a scenic effect that could help animate the show.
With the logic of protecting the board and saving the frequent replacements of the skate, the breakdown of the imitation wood skate into three parts was authorized, so that only the damaged or worn section could be changed without having to resort to a whole board each time. all new.
Here is the central part of the Red Bull RB18 board and that of the Ferrari F1-75 splitter
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
And, then, we saw the skate made of three elements: splitter, central part and the one in the tail relative to the elbow area of the extractor. Evolution and research have led to the modification of skid blocks with increasingly advanced systems, capable of modifying their shape according to the arrangement of the carbon fibers.
It is nothing new under the sun: the sliding on the asphalt heats these shape memory materials that change to avoid wear of the pad, allowing the car to run with ever lower ground heights.
Here is the front skid block of the Haas VF-22: as you can see it is divided into several parts
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
There are those who believe that there are those who have used real “springs” or polyurethane substances (such as the latest generation mattresses that adapt to the shape of the body), but in these cases the FIA could have intervened to reject solutions that would be go far beyond the spirit of the regulation.
As we know, the FIA introduces from Spa-Francorchamps some changes to the static checks on the flexibility of the skid blocks: the solutions we have described easily pass the checks, but something could change from Belgium because the 2 mm bending tolerance will be strictly applied and the stiffness around the bottom hole must be uniform for a radial distance of another 15 mm, for a surface of 75%.
The complete wooden board in the three pieces and in the round you can see the skid block
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The skid block, in fact, had been broken down into several parts and each deformed only if it crawled on the track or on the curbs, absorbing the roughness of the bottom with movements rated up to 6 mm and avoiding the wear of the board as much as possible. be 1 mm compared to the original thickness of 10 mm.
The broken wood planks of the McLaren MCL36
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
In particular, the FIA Red Bull and Ferrari came under fire, inspired by Mercedes: the International Federation intervened on this matter using safety as an excuse, the only argument that allows the legislator to change the rules without a majority agreement (eight teams out of ten). Nicholas Tombazis’ technicians took the alleged danger of porpoising as a pretext to change the checks of the board, triggering strong reactions.
The provision has now been accepted and, it seems, that the changes that have already been made will not change the values in the field …
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