http://www.planetf1.com/news/18227/6841380/Hamilton-questions-RBR-front-wing I thought this subject was over and done with last season, but here it is again. I have to admit I also watched intently the onboard footage from the Red Bulls and although the downward flex is quite subtle as the car acclerates it can clearly be seen returning to its normal position under braking. The wing clearly is legal in as far as it passes the load testing, but that degree of movement will undoubtably break the minimum ride height rules. The problem is that whatever ingenious system Red Bull have created only allows the wing to move while the car is in motion and is cleverly hidden. This reminds me of Ferraris flexi floor from 2007 which passed all FIA tests yet under race conditions flexed enough and gave an advantage. In that case it was McLaren who asked for clarification but who where only aware of its presence because of the stolen data they had and eventually led to the whole spying saga of that year. Whatever it is Red Bull have done I think it's a fantastic innovation, especially considering that a year on the top teams in F1 still struggle to replicate it. How long before Ferrari buy themselves a high ranking Red Bull engineer?
There may be evidence in the race, but its proving it with empirical evidence thats the problem. You can't say no flex, as no material is strong enough with the loads they are under, but the test set is clearly one that the Red Bull passes, but can still flex. The only way I can think of is to mount a laser on the underside of the wing which measures the distance to the floor, make the cars do a lap, and the wing must always be at a certain ride height on the straights?
All materials flex, it's physically impossible to create one which doesn't, so the FIA can't completely ban flexible aerodynamics, they can only set a stiffness which is policed by applying a certain load to the wing and setting a maximum deflection for that load. Red Bull invested a couple of years ago into research in Carbon Fibre layup techniques so they could produce a structure which is just stiff enough to pass the tests but begins to flex when that load is exceeded. They then created huge downforce at the extremities of the wing by using a series of cascading flaps on the inside of the end fence, that's why it flexes. Their wing isn't illegal because passes the load tests. The FIA could increase the load placed on the wing but it would probably cause half the field to fail the test, as happened with the floor tests in Spa last year, which resulted in every team having to strengthen the floor, even though they obviously weren't flexing it. RBR have found a loophole in the regs/laws of physics to gain some extra downforce. Any other team would do the same, as we saw with the F-Duct and double diffuser.
I agree, the wing is legal for now. However, arguing that all materials will flex at some point and therefore that flexing should not be banned outright is not a valid arguement. Other teams have managed to build wings that limit flex, RBR have purposely designed a wing that does. Flexing in their case is not a limitation of their materials/design but a property and therefore, in my view, they are intentionally breaking the rules. Other teams though should spend more time trying to reproduce the design rather than trying to have it banned.
Shame they weren't onboard during the heavy braking zone at turn one, you can definitely see it flexing at other parts of the circuit. I can't believe McLaren are still going on about something they're actively trying to install on their own car, they don't half whinge.
You'd think the power of sight would be a decent enough test to show that wing is illegal. http://yfrog.com/hsr5jlaj
McWilliams, the red lines drawn on that picture are a bit deceiving. Looking at the top red line on the Mclaren, it clearly doesn't follow the curve of the wing properly . Although admittedly the RB7 does show more flex. At the end of the day, its only a technological advancement. If it doesn't get banned, in 5 years all the teams will have both wings flexing, and the advantage will be lost. Someone has to be first to have an idea. The main reason people are moaning is that the idea is far harder to copy than say, an F-duct, so it takes longer for them to catch up.
Fred, so? That wing doesn't even begin to bend enough to have it practically scraping the floor. DHCanary - what does that matter it's the distance from the end plate to the floor that's the point. That's what it's not allowed to do.
McWilliams, fair point, consider my statement retracted! I would cross it out, if this forum had a strikethough option-or allowed html! Is this the first time not606 has let me down when i want to post something??
I assume the loophole there is that they measure it with the car stationary, not at speed. It's probably all just use of non conclusive rule wording.
Do you want me to complain about your post for being a load of Red Bull? ;-) Seriously though mate isn't that the point of debate?
Can I just say that you should look at the top picture on this site. The Mclaren's right hand side of the end plate is basically on the floor.
The RB wing is basically touching the floor! Who cares about the tests, the FIA could just use their own eyes to prove it's cheating. Now Mclaren and other teams are trying to cheat too.
It's not cheating, it's interpreting the rules in a creative manner. The only difference between this loophole and others such as the F-Duct and the double diffuser is that the laws of physics make this one virtually impossible to close. The other team are just going to have to find their own solutions to this problem. The only reason people complain is because RBR are winning. Williams are flexing their's, not as much but they've been doing it for a while. Look at Rubens' on board lap for Spa, in particular when he goes over the bumps on Eau Rouge and the braking zone at the end of Kemmel. http://www.formula1.com/video/
