Time to ditch these stupid front wings?

[Dunit]

Surely now that the blown diffuser is banned for next season it would be a good time to revert to a more sensible front wing.
It must be costing the teams a fortune and ruins the racing.
Red Bull even had to fly a wing out at the last minute for Seb for qualy.
Thats if the teams are genuine about cutting costs.

[tristancliffe]

A 'sensible' front wing would have made any difference to Vettel at the weekend though.

[EDLT]

He still hit a wall, he would have broken the smaller wing too. It's Red Bull's fault for not bringing any spares.

[Munter]

EDLT said:

He still hit a wall, he would have broken the smaller wing too. It's Red Bull's fault for not bringing any spares.

I think you missed the OPs point. They had spares. But of the old design as the new design was so new they only had a couple ready by the time the team shipped to Japan.

Now if the teams were limited in the amount of design they could do on the wing, then it wouldn't change over the season, and would reduce costs.

Problem is it's have to be so fixed in what you could do that it may as well be an FIA designed part.

[Sixpackpert]

No, I think the OP's point is that the current wing is too wide and gets damaged far to easily when it brushes another car. It also causes punctures so ruining 2 peoples race.

I am taking the word 'sensible' means narrower?

[peteA]

Why not go all the way and have standard issue FIA front and rear wings? The teams can design the cars to maximise the wings (ie manage the air flow) but the wings themselves are simply handed out to each team.

Its a difficult issue - cost vs retricting teams technical freedom...F1 is supposed to be the pinacle of racing isn't it?

Know where the OP is coming from though...

[NISaxoVTR]

F1 regs are already too restrictive. There is GP2 and numerous other spec series if you want to see people driving identical cars.

[V8s ONLY]

Well Lewis is doing his best,he must have got rid of at least half a dozen this season so far

[mrmr96]

NISaxoVTR said:

F1 regs are already too restrictive. There is GP2 and numerous other spec series if you want to see people driving identical cars.

Are you therefore happy that in F1 the richest teams will be the only ones in with a chance of winning?

[Dunit]

Sixpackpert said:

No, I think the OP's point is that the current wing is too wide and gets damaged far to easily when it brushes another car. It also causes punctures so ruining 2 peoples race.

I am taking the word 'sensible' means narrower?

Yes spot on.
The present ones are too wide and far to complex , Any one got any idea how much they cost, I think someone mentioned 30k and counting, Not only Hamilton but Koby gone thru a few, as have most of the drivers, Monaco? this year.
Weber had one trapped underneath causing him to go straight into the barriers.

[dirty boy]

mrmr96 said:

NISaxoVTR said:

F1 regs are already too restrictive. There is GP2 and numerous other spec series if you want to see people driving identical cars.

Are you therefore happy that in F1 the richest teams will be the only ones in with a chance of winning?

It's not ideal, but the richest teams will remain the ones most likely to win whatever, they'll get the best designers, the best drivers, the best training in every other aspect of the racing.


But things change, Williams now at the back, Red Bull now at the top.

Wealthy owners do change and go elsewhere and dynamics change, who's not to say some wealthy trillionaire won't buy Team Tapas and throw millions in development at them in the next 10 years.

[luke g28]

No.

Aerodynamics are the only performance differentiator left to the teams. If everything else wasn't so tightly regulated then they wouldn't be so complicated as you could get larger benefits for a smaller cost elsewhere. As it is they spend a huge amount of money and see very little benefit. The money is going to be spent regardless.

Personally I say bring back ground effect, no wake problems.

[llewop]

One resource restriction thing the OP mentioned should be followed up on I think: Tradition has it that the teams fly in new bits at the last minute in the search for performance, the Red Bull replacement wing's rather special journey to the circuit being just a very visible example. I can remember hearing many stories of team personnel flying in as the weekend approaches with a shedload of excess baggage in strange boxes!

How about a rule that you turn up on Thursday with all the toys you want for the weekend and then the paddock gate is 'locked' no extra components can be brought in - could be operated similar to the team curfew if necessary, maybe allow one or two jokers in case of extreme need? Would reduce the frantic last minute rush to get new bits to the GP, if you miss the deadline - tough - wait to the next one !

But I do agree the current wings seem too complex, you look at all the weird bits on them and I'm not convinced even the aero guys can explain what they are doing! F1 design is cyclical - every few years they pull in and stop various little tweaks and wrinkles that are getting out of hand: double diffusers, turning vanes, rear wings and I'm sure the front wings have been squeezed before, maybe time to again?

[entropy]

F1 has, will and should be a technical arms race.

Saying that something got to be done on the reliance of wings for downforce/handling.

[dirty boy]

llewop said:

But I do agree the current wings seem too complex, you look at all the weird bits on them and I'm not convinced even the aero guys can explain what they are doing!

Especially when Hamilton knocks pieces of his own, and others off, and it has no notable effect

[peteA]

dirty boy said:

Especially when Hamilton knocks pieces of his own, and others off, and it has no notable effect

So is this just reference to the front wing then as per the OP?

since the statement of no notable effect surely doesnt apply to the rear wing - witness the improved performance of the mclarens with the suzuka rear wing + when the rear wings are damaged its usually an end of race scenario.

[Crafty_]

The only reason they flew a new one in was because it was of a new design IIRC.
They more than likely had spares with them, given that the cars have now gone straight to Korea.