Max’s Wing Idea Takes Flight
So Max has an idea to improve Formula One through closer competition and by giving drivers more and better passing opportunities.
The Centreline Downwash Generating (CDG) Wing, formulated with the help of the “FIAsco’s” technology partner AMD, would eliminate the current single rear wing and replace it with two box-like wings, one behind each rear wheel.
In all honesty it makes the ass end look like a high tech lawn mower or a threshing machine I saw once working the fields outside of Ottumwa, Iowa. And I think my Great Grand Ma may have two end tables of similar design. They sat on either end of a paisley clear plastic covered couch.
Max seems to have gotten some sort of consensus out of Formula One Commission that includes the ten team principals, sponsors, circuit owners and Winnie the Pooh on alternate Thursdays. He even went so far as to meet with the “evil renegade brigade,” The Grand Prix Manufacturers
I may be wrong but from some pictures I’v seen over here it looks like the wings are designed to “clean up” as apposed to “dirty up” the air. I think the idea will be to allow the cars to go through corners closer together without loosing all their downforce, which in theory would let them race closer and overtake comming out of corners better.
Just my $0.02
-Andy
You’re correct Andy. Don’t know why I used the “dirt air” phrase. Probably been writing too many blog entries and reading way too many racing websites and other resources to think straight.
As for the wing, it may be a good idea but I have reservations about it coming from a “pattner” of the FIA in the form of AMD.
Not saying there is some thing going on, it just doesn’t look right. And if those “two boxes,” in their final design are mandated in anything other than size and location it takes any car specific requirements out of the hands of that designer.
A tub designed by Mclaran and one designed by Honda may not react to the new wing the same. It also raises the question of what other aero devices will have to be mandated. Think about a “new version” of the Mclaran winglets on the ‘05 engine cowling.
These people aren’t stupid, I can visualize a cowling wing, or cowling itself that funnels air to each side, over the “two boxes” and negates anything gained by them.
Yes, the designers will make up some of the downforce that is taken away by changing the rear wing, but I think that the surface area of the wing is the limiting factor in creating maximum downforce. So if you 1/2 the wing area you should 1/2 the downforce, they may be able to make up some of that by funnaling more air over the smaller surface but you get the idea. I think the main idea is to clean up the air behind the car so the following car can actually get close and still have downforce to take corners, which should generate closer racing and a better show.
It is ugly but I think I could get used to it if it generates actual racing. And I bet their “partner AMD” is just in it for advertising, and probably donated a couple supercomputers worth of processing power to be used in figuring out a new design.
-Andy
Some one let Max into the hallucinogen supply again, didn’t they? And here I thought his only problem was an occaissional hit on the bong!
They got to get rid of this guy, and soon. When the bank finaly pushes Bernie out the door maybe some one in the FIA will grow the cojones to stand up to this twit.
Relative to wing mods, why not mount a single wing, up high, around 4′-5′ above the pavement? Turbulence would not be a problem. See pictures of the canam cars from the late sixties, early seventies. AND if you want to go high tech, Jim Hall, the brilliant car engineer from Texas who invented wings, designed a moveable wing element. It went flat on the straights, and tilted up under braking and in the twisties.
Nothing is new, it just gets reused in different ways!
I would agree with all Andy but.
Unless more teams step up and become competitve it will only effect two teams and 4 cars, Renault and Mclaran. And possible Ferrari if Fiat’s budget woes get settled.
Add to the mix is no one can be sure at this pioint who will gain or lose under the V8 formula.
“AND if you want to go high tech, Jim Hall, the brilliant car engineer from Texas”
And don’t forget Halls “vacumn car” that, if memory serves, lasted only one year because it was so far advanced and was legislated out of Can-Am.
Then there are the winged Superbirds of NASCAR that had the very high airfoils on their tail. In a way they are proof a high wing would work. The two years they competed also saw many “slingshot moves” because of the draft created.