FERRARI’S SAW-TOOTH ELEMENT
Ferrari drew some inspiration from Mercedes and added a saw-tooth detail to one of the flaps on its front wing, this in order to make it work more consistently. The serrated edge prevents airflow separation by creating small whirls that maintain it attached.
Teams could also avoid airflow separation – which can happen when the front wing’s angle of attack is too abrupt – by widening the gap between the front wing flaps. However, this solution would reduce downforce. Enters the serrated element where small vortices are generated at the top of each spike, which in turn re-energises and accelerates the airflow.
The end goal is to increase the front wing’s exploitation window and improve the overall aerodynamic balance of the car.”
