The adjustable rear wing is one of the hot topics for the 2011 Formula One season. We’ve seen a couple of videos of the wing in action, thanks to Sauber and Red Bull Racing. Now, Lotus Renault GP talk us through some of the finer points.
James Allison, LRGP Technical Director, explains the theory behind the movable rear wings, “If you allow the rear wing to reduce its angle, you lose drag, rather like an f-duct system last year. So if two cars are racing each other, the car that has adjusted its rear wing angle will be able to go faster down a straight than the car that hasn’t.”
Allison adds, “All the drivers will be free to reduce their rear wing angle during free practice and qualifying as often as they like, but in a race there will be restrictions on its use.
“The regulations will only allow it to be used when a chasing car is within one second of the car ahead. So if a driver can get within this threshold time, his car will be granted permission to use the moveable wing on one designated straight during the lap. Furthermore, the teams and the FIA have tried to design a system that only gives just enough assistance to a trailing car to make an overtaking manÅ“uvre just possible. Nobody wants to have a system that makes overtaking a formality.”
It will be really interesting to see how this new aspect of F1 works this year. Follow the source link below for more detail.
[Source: Lotus Renault GP | Pic: LRGP/LAT]
One reply on “Lotus Renault GP talks about moveable rear wings”
If using the moving wing is conditional, then better off not allowing it. I can already see the controversy should an incident occur.