(Motorsport-Total.com) – Mercedes is not the only team using new front wings in the Formula 1 race at Silverstone this weekend. McLaren and Alpine have also made important changes in this area.
McLaren brought a new front wing to Silverstone
As expected, most of the changes were made to the outside, where the interaction of the fins and end plate is changed to improve the wash effect.
Alpine has achieved this by increasing the chord length of the main element and simultaneously reducing the chord length of the following three flaps. This reduces the distance between the various flaps at the junction with the end plate, so the individual elements are wound tighter.
Modifications were also made to the “dive plane” on the outside. It is still an S-shaped variant, but has been raised to a higher position and redesigned to fit the new position.
Additionally, the infrared tire monitoring camera housing has been moved to a lower position, which also requires a greater upward angle. But that probably has more to do with the aerodynamic properties it has in this position than with the angle of view of the camera.
There are also changes to the inboard end of the wing: the moving parts of the upper flap become wider as the rotary joints move closer to the side of the nose. In return, the fixed part has become smaller and, therefore, the shape of the fins has changed.
The front spoiler was also revised at Alpine…
Additionally, the leading edge of the main plate and secondary flap have been adjusted to accommodate the associated changes and provide the necessary support for flow around the wing and nose section.
After the impressive upgrade package at the Austrian Grand Prix, which was only available for Lando Norris, McLaren also introduced a new front wing and modified nose at the British Grand Prix.
The changes to the outer end of the wing follow a development path we know from Mercedes as part of the new rules: the flaps are partially separated from the end plate and metal spars are used to close the gap.
The advantage of this design is that there are three additional deflector surfaces in a sensitive area of the wing, all of which can be tilted outwards to encourage outward airflow around the front tire.
For both teams, the changes made are obviously aimed at increasing local performance.
…and Aston Martin also made improvements for the home race
However, the change to a more outward-facing front spoiler is usually accompanied by better airflow to the rear and better interaction of the flow structures. Both are areas of the car where Alpine and McLaren have made changes in recent races.
Aston Martin also made changes to its front wing for the British Grand Prix, although not as much as the other teams. The two upper flaps have been changed to better adapt the design to the demands of the Silverstone circuit.
The changes also involved the installation of new flaps, which are not simply a shortened variant of the configuration introduced at the Spanish Grand Prix.
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