RED BULL’S NEW TURNING VANES
Red Bull also revamped the turning vanes on the RB13, adding a long and thin deflector which connects the vanes at the base (compare white arrows) and partly rolls inwards. Working in conjunction with other aero elements, the turning vanes help direct and re-energise the Y250 vortex.
F1 aerodynamicists look for ways to control this all-important vortex as much as possible, using a series of aero elements such as the front wing pylons, the turning vanes, the bat wing, the splitter fins, the sidepod vanes, etc. They are keen to utilise the energy from the vortex in a bid to keep the dirty wake coming off the rotating wheels away from the car’s floor.
In other words, the vortex acts as a barrier between the turbulent air and the edges of the floor. In doing so, it increases the efficiency of the diffuser at the rear.
