FRANCE GP : Technical News (part 2)

McLaren MP4-23 – front-wing development

McLaren have introduced a deeply revised front wing in France. Underneath the main profile, two close vertical fences (1) have been added near the outer edge to divert airflow outwards, hence cleaning up the airflow beneath the profile's central section. In addition, the endplates (2) have been revised. Instead of the sculpted ones seen in Canada, they now feature a flatter, knife-edge profile, which has reduced the overall width of the wing profile and flaps. This new version of the wing is expected to be a permanent change, as the revisions are not only suitable for this track.

Ferrari F2008 - revised front wing

Ferrari have revised the F2008's front wing for France, in particular the central section of the flap (green arrow) which has been altered to improve the performance of the car's nose hole, increasing air extraction from underneath. The flap has been deepened to increase the quantity of airflow and to allow the team to use lower flap angles. This means less drag on the straights, but still maintains adequate downforce for the twisty sections of the track, improving the sharpness of the F2008's front end still more.

Williams FW30 - front sidepod winglets

Following the recent Barcelona test, Williams used a heavily revised version of their sidepod winglets in France. They now closely resemble those on the BMW Sauber, thanks to a curved, vertical fin (inset) that connects them to the edge of the car's stepped bottom. This solution has two main benefits. Firstly, it reduces the negative effects of the car's vibration on the winglet, making it less prone to 'flicking' the airflow in non-optimal directions. Secondly, it splits the airflow in two, helping the winglet to better clean up the airflow directed towards the rear of the car.

BMW Sauber F1.08 - front-wing development

In France, the F1.08 once again featured its distinctive 'boomerang' winglets and also sported a revised front wing. In comparison to its previous incarnation in Montreal (see area highlighted red), the depth of the wing's upper flap was widened at the centre (see area highlighted yellow). The team had brought both options with them to Magny-Cours, but after evaluating both during practice, they opted to use the revised version, which improved downforce at the car's front without noticeably increasing drag.