McLaren bridge front wing.
Discussion
Their cars seemed to go a lot faster than the competition when McLaren introduced this. It coincided with them becoming faster than Ferrari.
It visibly flexes downwards along the straights, but not enough to get on the wrong side of the scrutineers.
There is a theory that it acts as an aerodynamic switch.
In the up position all the other aero devices work and there is maximum downforce.
In the down position it switches off other aero devices and so minimises drag.
So McLaren have more grip in the bends and more speed on the straights.
The bridge is at different heights for different circuits as they optimise the package. It certainly seems to get the front Bridgestones working better. Perhaps too well, as Alonso seems to have problems with so much front end grip.
It visibly flexes downwards along the straights, but not enough to get on the wrong side of the scrutineers.
There is a theory that it acts as an aerodynamic switch.
In the up position all the other aero devices work and there is maximum downforce.
In the down position it switches off other aero devices and so minimises drag.
So McLaren have more grip in the bends and more speed on the straights.
The bridge is at different heights for different circuits as they optimise the package. It certainly seems to get the front Bridgestones working better. Perhaps too well, as Alonso seems to have problems with so much front end grip.
Interesting. It wouldn't have to move in order to function as a switch - the airflow over the car will change with speed, so perhaps above a certain speed it interferes with the flow to the rear wing but below it it doesn't.
I'd have thought that something that sensitive would be very vulnerable to variations in pitch, and completely compromised by following another car, though.
I'd have thought that something that sensitive would be very vulnerable to variations in pitch, and completely compromised by following another car, though.
Another reason why all aero attachments should be removed from the cars. So what if some teams complain, it will be the same for all. Fine, if they want to create some stunning shaped bodies that is fine, so long as there are no protruding items apart from the mirrors. I'm sure that they could come up with a ruling that states there can not be anything that sticks up from the main surface of the body work.
I think it's more to do with cleaner airflow than downforce, after all if it was that simple an idea of putting another element onto the front wing to create more frontal downforce and grip they'd all be doing it. I'm sure it does create some downforce but it's chord isn't that deep and it's quite flat so little added I think.
FourWheelDrift said:
I think it's more to do with cleaner airflow than downforce, after all if it was that simple an idea of putting another element onto the front wing to create more frontal downforce and grip they'd all be doing it. I'm sure it does create some downforce but it's chord isn't that deep and it's quite flat so little added I think.
The others have biplane front wings.The McLaren difference is the very low and narrow nose.
This has allowed them to make the upper element of the biplane into a bridge, with no central connection to the nose.
This is unique.
If you watch the in car videos you can see it moving up and down with speed.
It is easy with the way you lay the carbon to make it twist as it goes up and down so it has a high angle of attack when up and a small angle of attack when down.
Every other aerodynamic device on the car is influenced by the front wing.
So obviously they will work differently when the front wing is up compared with when it is down. McLaren can use this difference to optimise the downforce for different speeds.
loneranger said:
There is a theory that it acts as an aerodynamic switch.
In the up position all the other aero devices work and there is maximum downforce.
In the down position it switches off other aero devices and so minimises drag.
So McLaren have more grip in the bends and more speed on the straights.
I don't think that can be right - if you checked during the last few races when they were showing the list of highest speeds, McLaren quite often didn't even feature in the top 8 speeds! Just goes to show their car is very effective other than on the straights, as they still get the best laps and apex speeds.In the up position all the other aero devices work and there is maximum downforce.
In the down position it switches off other aero devices and so minimises drag.
So McLaren have more grip in the bends and more speed on the straights.
AlexRWD said:
loneranger said:
There is a theory that it acts as an aerodynamic switch.
In the up position all the other aero devices work and there is maximum downforce.
In the down position it switches off other aero devices and so minimises drag.
So McLaren have more grip in the bends and more speed on the straights.
I don't think that can be right - if you checked during the last few races when they were showing the list of highest speeds, McLaren quite often didn't even feature in the top 8 speeds! Just goes to show their car is very effective other than on the straights, as they still get the best laps and apex speeds.In the up position all the other aero devices work and there is maximum downforce.
In the down position it switches off other aero devices and so minimises drag.
So McLaren have more grip in the bends and more speed on the straights.
loneranger said:
If you watch the in car videos you can see it moving up and down with speed.
It is easy with the way you lay the carbon to make it twist as it goes up and down so it has a high angle of attack when up and a small angle of attack when down.
Is it a moveable aerodynamic device, then?It is easy with the way you lay the carbon to make it twist as it goes up and down so it has a high angle of attack when up and a small angle of attack when down.
jamieboy said:
loneranger said:
If you watch the in car videos you can see it moving up and down with speed.
It is easy with the way you lay the carbon to make it twist as it goes up and down so it has a high angle of attack when up and a small angle of attack when down.
Is it a moveable aerodynamic device, then?It is easy with the way you lay the carbon to make it twist as it goes up and down so it has a high angle of attack when up and a small angle of attack when down.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0zb5RH2YSk
and this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5ivyHpIReA&mod...
loneranger said:
jamieboy said:
Is it a moveable aerodynamic device, then?
Watch it move up and down with the change of speed for yourself on this video:jamieboy said:
loneranger said:
jamieboy said:
Is it a moveable aerodynamic device, then?
Watch it move up and down with the change of speed for yourself on this video:McLaren front wing given all-clear
By Jonathan Noble Monday, May 14th 2007, 08:30 GMT
McLaren's radical new 'bridge' front wing has been given a fresh all-clear by the FIA, autosport.com has learned, following concerns from some rival teams in Spain that it could be flexing at high speed.
On-board video footage from Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton's cars showed the front wing moving down on the straights when exposed to the forces experienced at high speed.
That movement led to questions from some of McLaren's rivals about the wing being a moveable aerodynamic device.
In the wake of those worries, however, it is understood that the FIA's technical department examined the wing's flexibility and its behaviour prior to the race and found there to be no issues with its design at all.
An FIA spokesman confirmed to autosport.com: "The matter has been investigated and no action is required."
McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh said his team never had any doubts that the wing was fully legal, and played down any movement that was visible from the on-board footage.
"Anyone who went out on the circuit or watched the slow speed photography saw the wing was very stable, and frankly we didn't think it was ever an issue," said Whitmarsh.
"It hasn't to my knowledge been mentioned to us at all. It is a very slender section, so it might be prone to movement. And perhaps others could be taking advantage of that, but there is no doubt that whoever watches it, knows it is legal."
McLaren's main championship rivals Ferrari also made it clear that they were not worried about the movement of the wing - despite themselves having been accused in the past of running flexi-wings.
Ferrari technical director Mario Almondo said: "At the moment, we think we do not have anything against McLaren. Full stop."
Killer2005 said:
loneranger said:
So McLaren have more grip in the bends and more speed on the straights.
Yet were slower than tyhe ferrari's and some others at IndianapolisSo they can tweak it either way. Have the same speed on the straight and super grip on the corners. Or have super speed on the straight and normal grip on the corners. Or anything in between. Depending on their race strategy.
Whatever, it definitely works. With the old wing they were slower than the donkeys, with the new wing they were faster.
loneranger said:
Whatever, it definitely works. With the old wing they were slower than the donkeys, with the new wing they were faster.
Aero tweaks are never rolled out one at a time though are they though. McLaren will know how many tenths they think it's gained them but it's hard to say how much this part of the latest update has achieved. TheOriginalGT40 said:
Another reason why all aero attachments should be removed from the cars. So what if some teams complain, it will be the same for all. Fine, if they want to create some stunning shaped bodies that is fine, so long as there are no protruding items apart from the mirrors. I'm sure that they could come up with a ruling that states there can not be anything that sticks up from the main surface of the body work.
come on, just admit you would rather see F1 become a one make series. loneranger said:
egomeister said:
loneranger - do you have any footage/pics of the bridge wing moving? When McLaren introduced it i was actually very impressed at how stable it appeared, unlike the Red Bull rear wing...
I have already posted the videos on this thread.
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