6 — Williams: R&D in full (s)wing
The Grove-based outfit also sampled an intriguing tripod winglet. The device was fitted right ahead of the rear wheels and combined with another new part, which functioned a bit like a rear side skirt (see yellow arrows). With the F1 technical regulations forbidding teams to place such aerodynamic element in this area of the car, the winglet was probably mainly used to gather data on how the air flows around the rear wheels. This might help Williams for future developments, but may also result from a request made by the F1 Strategy Group following its recent proposals towards a 2017 revamp… The unpolished nature of the element and the camera fitted nearby further accredit the theory of experimentation.
