Evolution of The Formula One Front Wing Assembly
Evolution of The Formula One Front Wing Assembly
DOI: 10.54254/2753-8818/53/20240191
Xinyu Hou
Department of Physics, University of Nottingham, Park Campus, NG7 2RD,
Nottingham, UK
Abstract. The front wing is an important component of the F1 racing car. It is used to generate
pressure on the front axle and guides the airflow around and below the vehicle. The main function
of the front wing of an F1 racing car is to provide downforce and enhance the car's grip of wheels.
The front wing can also bifurcate the airflow from the tires to improve backward airflow and
underfloor airflow. This review will mainly discuss the historical evolution of the front wing, the
advantages and disadvantages of the design and some application from the professional team.
The paper will aim to put forward suggestions and improvement measures for the existing
problems, which may provide new ideas for the development of high-performance racing cars.
1. Introduction
© 2024 The Authors. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0
(https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Figure 1. Taken from [4] shown four different types of Peugeot, Chaparral, Opel RAK and Lancia cars
In recent years, with the emergence of new materials and new technologies, the front wing design
has exhibited new trends. For example, the use of advanced composite materials and manufacturing
processes can improve the strength and stiffness of the front wing while reducing its weight. By using
intelligent sensing and control systems, real-time adjustment and optimization of the front wing can also
be achieved to further improve the performance of the car [1].
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Additionally, the airflow is separated when it comes into contact with the leading edge. A small
amount of air flows through the gap between the main wing and the second-layer flap, through which
high-speed air flow is obtained. This airflow management helps to improve the performance of the car,
maintaining its stability at high speeds, while improving the speed and handling of the car.
Few types of front wings have been introduced throughout the years. They can be divided into two
main groups, namely the straight wing and the curved (U-shaped) wing. The typically front wing
structure of automobile can be seen in figure 2 [2]. The difference in performance and flow structures
between the two types of wings were experimentally investigated using scaled models with six-axis load
cell, dye flow visualization and PIV. Moreover, an actual scaled wing model on track conditions with
moving ground was examined using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The effect of ground
clearance on the generation of downforce and drag for both wings were also studied. In general, a straight
wing performs better than a curved wing, which generates more downforce. This includes rolling
resistance, acceleration resistance, slope resistance and air resistance in resistance.
In racing, it is essential for every component of the vehicle to be designed with the efficiency of
the vehicle in mind. By conducting numerical analysis on font wings of three new single-seat cars that
comply with the 2022 season regulations released by the International Federation of Automobile
Manufacturers (FIA) [3], a new design as well as a 3D-printed front wing prototype were produced. The
experiment showed that aerodynamic efficiency can be achieved by minimizing the relationship between
resistance and downforce, which allows the vehicle to be close enough to the ground.
F.J. Granados-Ortiz [5] used 3D simulation technology to analyze and optimize the interaction
between the front wheels and brake pipes of a racing car. The detail of the full 3D geometry of front
wing is presented in figure 3. The brake pipes are part of the car's aerodynamic package, which not only
provides cold air to the braking system but also plays a very important role in generating downforce [6].
They used 3D simulation to create a virtual racing model and computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
software to simulate how air flows past components such as the front wheels and brake pipes, predicting
airflow velocity, pressure, and temperature distribution. The model and software can also identify the
optimal aerodynamic configuration. In addition, the interaction between the front wheels and brake pipes
was simulated for drivers during high-speed turns or emergency braking conditions. The computational
results indicated by figure 4 show that both front wings are good candidates for real competition, as their
downforce greatly outperforms drag, and they are able to generate important vortical structures such as
the Y250 vortex.
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Figure 3. Taken from[5], showing detail of the full 3D geometry of front wing
Figure 4. Taken from [5], shows the resulting 3D five-element front wing from the hybrid optimization
approach. a) Optimal front wing using the adjoint method (hybrid approach). b) Comparison by
superposition between parametric (green) and adjoint-based (blue) front wings.
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the car and the windward area can often lead to a sharp increase in air resistance. The curves of racing
cars are usually streamlined to increase surface smoothness, which can reduce air resistance [10].
Rolling resistance is the resistance generated by the contact between the tire and the track surface, which
is related to the material, pressure, temperature, and track conditions of the tire. Rolling resistance is
usually significant at low speeds but relatively small during high-speed driving in F1 racing cars.
Frictional resistance comes from the friction between mechanical components inside a racing car, such
as the engine, gearbox, bearings, and suspension system [11]. Rolling resistance can mainly come from
surface friction, pressure difference, wake and turbulence, the number and layout of fins, as well as
material and weight of the car. The unevenness of the fins and the optimization of their shape and angle
can not only increase surface friction but also reduce pressure drag. Adding deflectors and other
accessories to the front wing can improve airflow adhesion, although excessive fins may cause airflow
turbulence.
Figure 5. Taken from [5] showing a sketch analysis of the cross-section along the front wing spoiler
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enhanced washout effect. At the same time, the design of the front wing in 2022 is more simplified
compared to previous versions, with fewer fins to reduce the generation of turbulence.
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The effectiveness of the front wing design is mainly reflected in its impact on the car's aerodynamic
performance. An excellent front wing design can effectively manage airflow, improve downforce and
handling of the car, and thus help the car achieve better results in various track conditions. However,
small differences in design can lead to significant changes in the car’s performance, so teams need to
constantly adjust and optimize the front wing design to adapt to changing race conditions and rules.
In conclusion, the front wing design of different teams has its own merits and drawbacks. The core
of the design is how to maximize the car's aerodynamic performance while ensuring its stability and
handling. The car's performance depends not only on the design of a single component but also on the
synergy of the aerodynamic package and chassis design of the whole car.
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wings, which further illustrates the adaptive adjustment of front wing design with the increase in car
speed and the change of rules. At the same time, with increasingly strict environmental regulations and
energy consumption restrictions, the front wing design also needs to pay more attention to energy saving
and environmental protection. Future trends in front wing design will focus more on innovation and
sustainability. Engineers will continue to explore new design methods and optimizations to further
improve the performance of the front wing, but will also use more environmentally friendly materials
and processes to reduce the impact of racing on the environment. The current mainstream design scheme
still has some problems and challenges when dealing with future track environments and competition
needs. For example, in extreme weather and track conditions, maintaining the stability and performance
of the front wing has become a key concern for designers. At the same time, with the continuous
development of racing technology, reducing manufacturing costs and maintenance difficulty while
ensuring performance have also become problems that need to be considered in future front wing design.
4. Conclusion
The front wing can generate downward pressure, enhance front wheel grip, make the car more in line
with the ground, ensuring the car's performance and stability during turns, and make the driver safer. It
can also effectively manage airflow and enhance aerodynamic efficiency. Moreover, the design of the
front wing can also reduce air resistance and interference from the wake on the racing car, thus
enhancing following ability. To ensure the safety of racing drivers, the front wing should be strong
enough to prevent it from shattering and causing danger in collisions. The front wing design of F1 racing
cars must comply with the technical rules established by the International Automobile Federation (FIA).
With the continuous advancement of technology and the constant updating of rules, front wing design
is also continually innovating and developing. In the future (post 2026), with the continued application
of new materials, technologies and regulations, front wing will become more lightweight, efficient and
intelligent. This will enable Formula One cars to achieve greater breakthroughs in performance and
bring more exciting races to the audience.
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