When Ferrari emulates Mercedes (Part I)
Last weekend’s British Grand Prix also saw the Ferrari SF15-T feature a new front wing, which draws some inspiration from the similar design introduced by Mercedes at Shanghai this year. The arches on the wing’s black-painted outer section are now more pronounced to create a sort of reverse funnel that sits right in front of the tyres. Although this helps generate more downforce, the primary goal remains to create a powerful vortex around the tyre in order to divert the dirty air coming off the rotating wheels.
Along with the revised arches comes a new vertical vane (see blue arrow), which helps channel the airflow towards the outside of the tyres. The upper flap has also been revamped and now has a more curved outline (see turquoise arrows). On the left-hand side, there is also an extra vane in the area where the all-important Y250 vortex is generated.
