DON’T BE A DRAG!
At the back of the C36, the rear wing has been refined for optimum lift-to-drag ratio with the endplates gaining open-end slits à la Toro Rosso (white arrows). The design should also help make up for the lack of oomph from the Swiss team’s 2016-spec power unit.
Upper rear wing endplate slits allow the high-pressure air through and towards the low-pressure area on the inner side of the endplate. A lower pressure differential means a weaker vortex where the endplate and upper flap meet, which in turn reduces drag. This is all the more crucial given that this year’s wider cars and tyres will de facto produce more drag.
One can surmise that having open-end slits instead of closed-off ones further decreases the pressure differential. As soon as the air hits the endplates, it is vented through and out the other side.
It should not come as a surprise then to see Sauber draw inspiration from a Toro Rosso solution that helps create downforce all the while curbing drag.
The vertical notches pierced in the lower endplates (red arrows) have also been seen elsewhere. These create small winglets that bend outwards and contribute towards expanding the airflow coming from the diffuser.
Sauber’s recruitment drive in 2016 also included the arrival of Nicolas Hennel de Beaupreau as the new head of aerodynamics. Although the former Lotus man joined the Hinwill-based outfit last September, i.e. earlier than returning tech boss Zander, his input on the C36 volumes will have remained limited.
