F-Ducts – how they work
Racecar Engineering had a great article on the famous F-Ducts in F1 right now, that have a major impact on the workings of the rear wing, and were the focus of some pre-season controversy when McLaren debuted their innovation, now being copied by all the other teams.
When McLaren's F-Duct system first appeared in pre-season testing it was hailed by many as a true stroke of genius, a classic example of out-thinking the regulations. With the basic idea being that the driver is able to alter the airflow over the rear wing, without infringing regulation 3.15 (below), and in doing so gain a speed advantage on straights.
When McLaren's F-Duct system first appeared in pre-season testing it was hailed by many as a true stroke of genius, a classic example of out-thinking the regulations. With the basic idea being that the driver is able to alter the airflow over the rear wing, without infringing regulation 3.15 (below), and in doing so gain a speed advantage on straights.
3.15 Aerodynamic influence : With the exception of the cover
described in Article 6.5.2 (when used in the pit lane), the driver
adjustable bodywork described in Article 3.18 and the ducts described in
Article 11.4, any specific part of the car influencing its aerodynamic
performance :
*Must comply with the rules relating to bodywork
*Must be rigidly secured to the entirely sprung part of the car (rigidly secured means not having any degree of freedom)
*Must remain immobile in relation to the sprung part of the car.
This speed advantage appears to have given the team the upper hand at the Shanghai circuit, Racecar decided to investigate the theory behind the new system.