F1: flexible wings and mini-DRS in turmoil, but real "culprit" is not McLaren

09/17/2024 03:34 AM

Round and round, this season always comes back to the same point. Even in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku circuit, the controversy over flexible wings and the new “mini-DRS” resurfaced, with the McLaren MCL38 once again in the spotlight.

The images are clear, visible to all. The camera mounted on Oscar Piastri’s “papaya” car, pointing at the rear, leaves no doubt: the mobile flap moves, flexes, and rotates even with the DRS closed.

An unusual movement that undeniably gave the Australian an advantage on the long straights of the Azerbaijani circuit. A few km/h that perhaps could have been decisive in the battle with Charles Leclerc.

The footage, which we leave at the end of the article, sparked many discussions on social media and beyond. Many have accused the British team of “cheating,” but today, the reality of the situation is quite different.

A certainty that finds no voice
If it is so evident, because it is, that there is something strange about McLaren’s wings, why is no one protesting with the FIA? Ferrari and Red Bull have repeatedly pointed the finger at the papaya team, and they would have every interest in continuing to do so, but there has never been an official complaint.

The answer is as short as it is simple: because any appeal would be rejected. Like it or not, the MCL38 is absolutely legal, just like all the other single-seaters on the grid.

Every race weekend, the cars are inspected to verify their compliance with the technical regulations and, punctually, they pass. But here, perhaps, lies the truly important point of the entire discussion about flexible wings.

FIA, we have a problem
The Federation’s intent to limit teams from focusing too much on aeroelasticity has been clear for several seasons. However, this intent is not supported by the required checks.

Reading section 3.15 of the technical regulations, which is dedicated to the flexibility of aerodynamic components, the following are permissible:

Front wing flap: a maximum deformation of 5mm is allowed under a load of 60 N (about 6 Kg) applied in the normal direction.
Rear wing mainplane: it must not flex more than 6 mm and 1° when two loads of 1000 N (about 100 Kg) are applied at two defined points of the profile.
Rear wing flap: it must not deform more than 7 mm horizontally when a load of 500 N (about 50 Kg) is applied horizontally.
Rear mainplane trailing edge: it must not deform more than 3 mm when subjected to a load of 200 N (about 20 Kg).

The “problem” is that all these tests are static and with loads that are too low compared to those actually experienced by the wings on the track. The checks are therefore carried out with the car stationary, and this makes all the difference in the world.

An airfoil immersed in a fluid current experiences very different forces. Furthermore, it is possible to work on the structure of the composites to couple flexion and torsion, making the wing move in a specific way when the car is at high speed.

If you want to eliminate flexible wings or the “mini-DRS” seen on McLaren, which is not necessarily required, the current tests are not stringent enough.

However, the DRS issue might be more complicated. In article 3.10.10 of the regulations, it states: “Any change in the incidence of the upper closed section can only be commanded directly by the driver's input and controlled through the electronic control specified in article 8.3.” The movement seen on the McLaren could therefore be very borderline.

Changes coming in 2025?
The Federation has realized that the current tests are insufficient to ensure that the wings do not flex even while moving. In fact, during the Belgian GP, they began to make adjustments.

The cameras mounted on the front wings of some cars helped the FIA better understand the movements of the various profiles. However, no regulatory changes will be made during the season, also, and perhaps especially, to avoid impacting the budget cap.

But next year, things could change. It is plausible that the loads for static tests will be increased. Given the controversies, it will be necessary to do so. Perhaps it would be enough to introduce a “TV test,” since the tools to do so already exist.

For now, however, the controversies over McLaren are nonexistent. The car passes the tests and is therefore legal. You can talk about the “spirit of the regulations,” but in practice, it doesn’t hold much weight.

The only concrete thing is the numbers, and the MCL38 complies with them. The papaya engineers have simply been better, or more clever, than their rivals, who now have to catch up.

I'll leave this here @ScuderiaFerrari@FIA

The entire DRS flap is rotating under load. You can see at the pivot points, the flap is not aligning with the wing tips.

The flap is backing off at high speed, shedding drag. How is this okay? pic.twitter.com/OL5IijqnJV

— B (@brakeboosted) September 15, 2024

Source: f1ingenerale

The post F1: flexible wings and mini-DRS in turmoil, but real “culprit” is not McLaren appeared first on Scuderia Fans.