Flexi-Wing Controversy: FIA's Rigorous Checks to Redefine F1 Aerodynamics
Sep.1 - F1's governing body is cracking down on flexible wings.
It is a topic that rears its head every now and then in Formula 1, as teams can get an aerodynamic advantage by pushing the limit in terms of the wings' ability to deform under load.
According to f1-insider.com, the FIA suspects that some teams are currently pushing the limits in this area, and will ramp up their checks for wing flexibility from the forthcoming Singapore GP.
It comes in the form of technical directive TD018, which teams received ahead of the recent Dutch F1 GP.
"It now emerges that the regulators sounded the alarm at the Azerbaijan GP, asking teams to react," said correspondent Bianca Garloff.
"One of the teams is said to have been Aston Martin," she added, speculating that it could explain the team's strong start to 2023 and subsequent dip.
Garloff added that the FIA still has suspicions that some teams have found a way to design and produce flexible wings that are not detected by the current stress tests.
"From the Singapore GP, teams will be required to submit assembly drawings and cross-sections showing the attachment of the front wing panels to the nose and the rear wing panels to the endplates and rear impact structure," she said.
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Why ban flexible wings? Let everyone use flexible wings and the FIA can monitor their effectiveness. It may improve the aerodynamics and make racing closer. After all, F1 is supposed to be a development and testing formula. Let the testing continue!
Seems like it would be fairly simple to define amount of flex allowed with directional force loading at all relevant angles and then test the wings with externally induced force loads in a jig. No need for air flow as the criteria is force loading regardless if caused by airflow or hydraulic force. This is a basic physics problem. If need be put the onus on the teams to provide the wing mounting jig and F1 provides the hydraulic rams to induce and measure deflection.
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