Though I'm no expert in Formula One aerodynamics, or aerodynamics of any sort in fact, I do have a theory that I think could reduce cornering speeds and increase the closeness of Formula One racing.
'But the racing has been close in 2011!' I hear everyone cry. Yes, agreed there has been more overtaking this season than there has been in probably the last ten years. It has mostly come about though due to the DRS (also known as the Drag Reduction System), the flap in the middle of the rear wing that can be opened to give a driver a bit extra straight line speed so he can get past a competitor. It has generally had the desired effect and we've seen lots of passing but some people probably feel that it's a bit artificial and overtaking is a bit too easy sometimes these days.
I am one of those who feel that DRS is a bit artificial, I'd like to see drivers passing due to their skill rather than the fact they have a straight line performance advantage over the car they are trying to pass. I think the key to providing non-gimmicky close racing could be removing the front wing.
Before DRS when we (Formula One fans) used to moan about the lack of overtaking in Grand Prix races, a common excuse was that cars couldn't follow each other close enough through corners. The reason stated for this was that the preceding car was causing air turbulence and the car following was losing downforce due to having to drive through this unsettled 'dirty' air. This is because Formula One cars these days are so dependent on aerodynamic downforce, the air flowing over their wings and bodywork, pressing them onto the track surface, enabling them to go much faster round corners than they could without these aerodynamic aids.
One of the most important pieces of aerodynamic kit when it comes to cornering a Formula One car is the front wing. The air pushing down on this helps the front wheels turn and helps prevent the car understeering off the outside of the corner. It is a vital piece of aerodynamics on a Formula One car, as can quite often be seen in a Grand Prix, when a car has a damaged front wing, it has to immediately make a pitstop for a new one as it won't be able to keep up a competitive pace without a fully functional front wing.
If we were to remove the front wing it would greatly reduce downforce to the front of the car, cornering speeds would be reduced dramatically. The cars will be more dependent on mechanical grip through the front tyres than aerodynamic grip when going round a bend. Because cars won't be depending on aerodynamic grip as much, the following car will not be at such a disadvantage as before in the dirty air left behind by the car it's chasing. This will allow it to follow much closer through corners and in doing so be close enough when the cars come on to the straight to pick up the slipstream of the car in front and have a go at passing him.
With the reduction of forward downforce due to the absence of a front wing, it would then become necessary to reduce the amount of downforce created by the rear wing to make the car more balanced. If you keep the same amount of downforce on the rear wing, the rear tyres will have a lot more grip then the front ones. This will cause the car to understeer and not want to turn around the corners. Reducing the downforce created by the rear wing would mean cars overall would have much less aerodynamic grip and be prone to slide around more through corners, making viewing a race that much more enjoyable. It would also increase the chances of drivers making small mistakes, giving competitors chance to close up a gap or pass.
Another benefit of not having front wings on Formula One cars would be the fact that if it's not there it can't be damaged or fall off. Quite often, especially at the start of a race we see cars colliding with competitors and damaging or losing their front wings, necessitating a pit stop for repairs. This usually puts that driver out of contention for a good result in that particular race.
In essence the removal of the front wing will make racing closer, passing easier, racing more spectacular, cornering slower and safer. It will require more skilful car control from the driver and will do away with the need for gimmicky devices to aid overtaking.
'But the racing has been close in 2011!' I hear everyone cry. Yes, agreed there has been more overtaking this season than there has been in probably the last ten years. It has mostly come about though due to the DRS (also known as the Drag Reduction System), the flap in the middle of the rear wing that can be opened to give a driver a bit extra straight line speed so he can get past a competitor. It has generally had the desired effect and we've seen lots of passing but some people probably feel that it's a bit artificial and overtaking is a bit too easy sometimes these days.
I am one of those who feel that DRS is a bit artificial, I'd like to see drivers passing due to their skill rather than the fact they have a straight line performance advantage over the car they are trying to pass. I think the key to providing non-gimmicky close racing could be removing the front wing.
Before DRS when we (Formula One fans) used to moan about the lack of overtaking in Grand Prix races, a common excuse was that cars couldn't follow each other close enough through corners. The reason stated for this was that the preceding car was causing air turbulence and the car following was losing downforce due to having to drive through this unsettled 'dirty' air. This is because Formula One cars these days are so dependent on aerodynamic downforce, the air flowing over their wings and bodywork, pressing them onto the track surface, enabling them to go much faster round corners than they could without these aerodynamic aids.
One of the most important pieces of aerodynamic kit when it comes to cornering a Formula One car is the front wing. The air pushing down on this helps the front wheels turn and helps prevent the car understeering off the outside of the corner. It is a vital piece of aerodynamics on a Formula One car, as can quite often be seen in a Grand Prix, when a car has a damaged front wing, it has to immediately make a pitstop for a new one as it won't be able to keep up a competitive pace without a fully functional front wing.
If we were to remove the front wing it would greatly reduce downforce to the front of the car, cornering speeds would be reduced dramatically. The cars will be more dependent on mechanical grip through the front tyres than aerodynamic grip when going round a bend. Because cars won't be depending on aerodynamic grip as much, the following car will not be at such a disadvantage as before in the dirty air left behind by the car it's chasing. This will allow it to follow much closer through corners and in doing so be close enough when the cars come on to the straight to pick up the slipstream of the car in front and have a go at passing him.
With the reduction of forward downforce due to the absence of a front wing, it would then become necessary to reduce the amount of downforce created by the rear wing to make the car more balanced. If you keep the same amount of downforce on the rear wing, the rear tyres will have a lot more grip then the front ones. This will cause the car to understeer and not want to turn around the corners. Reducing the downforce created by the rear wing would mean cars overall would have much less aerodynamic grip and be prone to slide around more through corners, making viewing a race that much more enjoyable. It would also increase the chances of drivers making small mistakes, giving competitors chance to close up a gap or pass.
Another benefit of not having front wings on Formula One cars would be the fact that if it's not there it can't be damaged or fall off. Quite often, especially at the start of a race we see cars colliding with competitors and damaging or losing their front wings, necessitating a pit stop for repairs. This usually puts that driver out of contention for a good result in that particular race.
In essence the removal of the front wing will make racing closer, passing easier, racing more spectacular, cornering slower and safer. It will require more skilful car control from the driver and will do away with the need for gimmicky devices to aid overtaking.
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