HAAS TAKES A WELL-TRODDEN PATH
The updated Haas front wing introduced at Singapore has confirmed the aero philosophy of segmentation that has been gaining momentum to design evermore sophisticated components. The main board is no longer a single element since it is now divided into two distinct sections by a full-length aperture (compare yellow arrows). What’s more, a Toro Rosso- and McLaren-style curved vane (see red arrows) has replaced the ‘r’ cascade.
It should not come as a surprise to notice that the new Sauber front wing unleashed at Spa featured similar characteristics. Under stable technical rules, teams end up converging towards the same solutions, though some differences remain. Thus, the arches of the Mercedes and Force India front wings create a true funnel, while this is not the case on other cars; the main board of the Ferrari setup is the only one not to be made of two distinct parts, etc.
Other elements of the Haas front wing have been refined, including the endplate which has gained a fin both on the outside and on the inside (see blue arrows). The upper flap now branch off into two elements on the outside (see white arrows). A series of reinforcing fins have been added (see green arrows), not only to prevent deformation under the aerodynamic load, but also to better direct the airflow, which is one of the trademarks from the ‘Prodromou school of design’.
The US team also revised the floor of its VF-16 by replacing the two winglets located ahead of the rear tyre with a single and longer vane bent at the top (compare the orange arrows on the bottom pictures).
