Mercedes: The science of the diffuser
Around the rear crash structure, vertical vanes have been removed (see red arrows), while side winglets are featuring a new design (see yellow arrows). Furthermore, the central part of the diffuser that was tested during Barcelona II appears to be less flat and more rounded (see green arrows).
One can also spot the car’s vortex generators on the picture above. These are used as well in aeronautics to maintain a steady airflow by bringing high energy to the boundary layer. Admittedly, vortex generators also create drag. But it’s better to have some with stable downforce than having low drag and a diffuser likely to “stall” in an untimely manner.
Many thanks to Followmeifyoucan for the detailed explanation
