First look at Ferrari’s adjustable rear wing
F1 technology
Felipe Massa continued Ferrari’s filming activities with their new F150 at Fiorano today.
Pictures of the car in action show the new-for-2011 adjustable rear wing in its open and closed states.
These comparison pictures show the wing in its normal state (left) and opened (right).
Although the angles the pictures were taken at are not consistent the gap between the upper and lower plans when the wing is activated is clearly visible:
Ferrari F150 adjustable rear wing
Ferrari F150 adjustable rear wing
Drivers will be allowed to use their adjustable rear wings when they’re within one second of another car during races in 2011. Teams are able to use the wings whenever they want during testing.
You can see high-resolution versions of these pictures below.
Felipe Massa drives the Ferrari F150 – pictures
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Stefano Domenicali, Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Fernando Alonso, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
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- Felipe Massa, Ferrari, Fiorano, 2011
Felipe Massa drives the Ferrari F150 – video
F1 Fanatic previously analysed how often drivers would have been able to use the adjustable rear wings has they been allowed in 2010.
The Ferrari drivers could have used them most, and in total over 3,500 uses would have been possible by F1 drivers in 2010.
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Images © Ferrari spa/Ercole Colombo
Joe Szpara said on 29th January 2011, 16:16
I remember at the young drivers test there was the adjustable renault rear wing being used and it looked very different.
Interesting.
Joe Szpara said on 29th January 2011, 16:19
Found it
http://photos.gpupdate.net/large/167618.jpg
Ned Flanders said on 29th January 2011, 16:22
Hmm, very strange, I never saw that at the time. I wonder if we are going to see any radical looking rear wings like that in 2011, or was that just one of those weird things you see in testing (like the airbox pole)?
mcmercslr (@mcmercslr) said on 29th January 2011, 16:32
I’ve been looking for that photo for ages. Cheers mate
Adrian J (@adrian-j) said on 29th January 2011, 16:34
That’s just a 2010 spec rear wing with the upper flap removed completely.
Presumably they were seeing how much downforce/control was reduced when that upper element was taken out of the equation.
chris sz (@chris-sz) said on 29th January 2011, 17:19
photoshop maybe? why are the sideplates stil high?
spawinte said on 29th January 2011, 17:30
Because like Adrian said its just a 2010 wing with the upper flap removed. They obviously didn’t want to manufacture an entirely new wing so the end plates are the same size.
Scribe (@scribe) said on 29th January 2011, 18:33
It’s also riding incredibly high on it’s suspension. THere’ll have been removing all sorts of variables during that test, whatever there looking for will have been exceedingly specific.
Oliver said on 31st January 2011, 8:09
I think the camera is located slightly downhill looking upwards as there isn’t that much room underneath the synthetic plank, dont forget the cars are running with a stepped floor since 1994
Bullfrog (@bullfrog) said on 29th January 2011, 20:38
Yep, maybe it’s a mega-low downforce setup. The GP2 cars used to run at Monza with their rear wings like that.
Scottie (@scottie) said on 30th January 2011, 6:48
they still do… they were like that this year
The Sri Lnakan said on 30th January 2011, 22:53
Brings a tear to my eye when i realise that this was made with help from the old TOYOTA team….atleast some form of toyota prescence will be on the grid this year
Steph (@) said on 29th January 2011, 16:20
I’m still not sold on this rear wing idea but thanks for the photos!
Massa’s helmet looks different. It seems to have more blue a bit like his 06 helmet or am I imagining things (I bet Fixy knows)?
Fixy (@fixy) said on 29th January 2011, 16:49
His 2011 design is based off his 2010 design, but there has been a change. Like his 2006 helmet, the yellow part in front is V shaped and not curved like his 2007-2010 helmets. The blue part is due to the fact that the white stripe containing the Marlboro barcode has been removed and his entire design is shown.
2011: http://www.flickr.com/photos/schuberth/5369839074/
2010: http://www.flickr.com/photos/schuberth/4662118523/
2006: http://media.photobucket.com/image/massa%202006%20helmet/f1helmets/massa06gl/massa06gl-8.jpg
ed24f1 (@ed24f1) said on 29th January 2011, 17:15
Yes, it does look weird to see Ferrari helmets without the white band.
OEL said on 29th January 2011, 18:00
Indeed it does. I prefered the 2007-2010 one for sure.
Fixy (@fixy) said on 29th January 2011, 19:11
Me too. I would love to see plain helmets, but having that a-symmetrical logo that just stands out for its colours is horrible, and it would be better on a white stripe. And even because Alonso has had to move apart the two arrows on top to make it fit and his helmet now is almost just blue.
PT said on 31st January 2011, 6:51
Not only that, Massa is having a yellow sponsor logo strip on his visor as was teh case last year, and Alonso’s logo strip was blue. But this year Alonso seems to have shifted to a red sponsor logo strip.
Steph (@) said on 29th January 2011, 18:53
Thank you Fixy. I knew I could count on you :)
I think I’m with OEL though and preferred it before. Maybe it’ll just take some getting used to.
OEL said on 29th January 2011, 20:43
Well, let’s hope so. But if it doesn’t, well, it won’t be the end of the world. What matters now is that Felipe can get the maximum out of the F150 and the Pirelli tyres. Outpace Alonso and I don’t care if your helmet is pink, purple or whatever. Go Felipe!
Fixy (@fixy) said on 29th January 2011, 21:48
Go Felipe!
henry said on 29th January 2011, 16:21
How do Ferrari get away with all of this ‘filming’ time, while almost no other teams do it at any point during the season? I know it is allowed but i still dont quite understand.
mcmercslr (@mcmercslr) said on 29th January 2011, 16:35
Mclaren usually stay at Jerez after the test for an extra couple of days for some filming but it stops there for the season for them. Ferrari will use any excuse to go and do a bit more filming
Fixy (@fixy) said on 29th January 2011, 16:51
They are allowed and they are wise enough to use all the days permitted.
Adrian said on 29th January 2011, 17:02
Ferrari have their own track so it’s a lot easier and more economical for them to do filming days than for the other teams.
Each team is allowed 100km a year of filming and there are restrictions on tyres and, I think, cornering speeds.
Johnny Legg said on 29th January 2011, 17:21
They have to use a set of comedy low gip tyres at events like this. They prevent them from cornering at high speeds. i don’t think it would return any useful data.
nickthegeek said on 30th January 2011, 9:04
Only use I can really see is just as a very basic reliability test, just make sure all the new bits hold together and dont overheat. mind, your not going to learn much as things will be very different when its driven in anger.
Ned Flanders said on 29th January 2011, 16:26
Wow, that spike at the back off the airbox looks fearsome. I wonder if that is there to encourage following drivers to keep their distance? Perhaps Lotus should have fitted something similar to Heikki Kovalainen’s car at Valencia last season…
Bigbadderboom said on 29th January 2011, 16:54
I’m with you Ned, looks like a nasty accident waiting to happen! Ouch!!
PJA said on 29th January 2011, 17:33
Isn’t that because in the early noughties the engine cover viewed from the side was getting smaller and smaller so a regulation came in stating it had to have a minimum area because it is one of the main areas for sponsors.
Of course the size of engine covers later went the other way when shark fins came in.
If you look at the 2010 Mercedes later season version you will see something similar.
http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/rosb_merc_abud_2010-12.jpg
Scribe (@scribe) said on 29th January 2011, 18:35
They changed the regs for sponsers? Doubt it, that’s a team decision. That on the Merc is a form of Shark fin pionered by BMW in 08.
PJA said on 29th January 2011, 19:43
It was 2004 the minimum size engine cover rules came in because of the importance for sponsors. It is mentioned on this page on F1 Technical under the technical regulations (chassis)
http://www.f1technical.net/articles/27
I tried to find some good comparison shots of the cars from 2002-2004 but I am hopeless at searching for pictures. Although they aren’t actual photos this site does have World Champions and their cars so you can see the change in engine covers.
http://www.f1-fansite.com/standings/champs.asp
xni said on 29th January 2011, 16:29
Looks very interesting but like Steph I’m not fully convinced on this idea. Yes it will increase overtaking but it makes it not as special anymore. Just one thing though – at Monza teams use very low downforce setups and the angle on the rear wing is very low. So will the adjustable rear wing still make a difference there or will teams have to rely on KERS?
xni said on 29th January 2011, 16:32
Also just to add, does anyone know what the effect the triangular slit/hole in the middle of the rear wing actually does? Surely it will make the air coming off the rear wing more turbulent as it could generate vortices? (I know nothing about aerodynamics so what I said probably means nothing at all!)
DeadManWoking (@deadmanwoking) said on 29th January 2011, 16:54
The actuating arm for the upper rear wing would create some turbulent airflow behind it. The triangular notch behind it would allow that turbulent air to escape rather than hitting the wing and spoiling the smoother airflow to either side of it. This would increase the effectiveness of the wing when it is not in the raised position.
Fixy (@fixy) said on 29th January 2011, 16:53
In Monza, you can’t further reduce the angle of the wings as I believe it’s the lowest possible.
Theo said on 29th January 2011, 17:23
I wouldn’t be surprised if teams run a decent amount of wing around Monza this time year. Looking at Button, it was clearly the strategy to go for, Alonso just had a quicker pitstop.
Scribe (@scribe) said on 29th January 2011, 18:37
But in Monza last year the teams could stall their wings at any time, wereas this year only 1sec behind, some might go with large wings for quali but they’ll be sitting ducks in the race.
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 29th January 2011, 19:11
Yeah, I think they’ll still go for a special wing. Like you say they could use the F-duct whenever and wherever they wanted. The same won’t be true of the MRW except in practice and qualifying.
BBT (@bbt) said on 30th January 2011, 11:02
They will still run the min amount of wing this will make no difference for the reasons given above.
PS Hamiltons set-up was quicker than Buttons but we never got to see that. Two mistakes in Quali and in the race… well we all know what happened there.
msF1 said on 29th January 2011, 16:50
Which part of the rear wing is moving now, the upper or the lower part? ‘Cause if it’s the upper part of the wing they couldn’t fit a shark, could they? I’m confused…
msF1 said on 29th January 2011, 16:51
shark-fin is what I wanted to say….geez!
DeadManWoking (@deadmanwoking) said on 29th January 2011, 17:02
The front edge of the upper wing raises up to 40 40mm with the pivots located within 20mm of the back edge. Shark fins are no longer allowed to attach to the rear wing.
Fixy (@fixy) said on 29th January 2011, 16:54
They aren’t allowed to use shark fins. And looking at the photos the moving looks like it occurs in the upper part.
msF1 said on 29th January 2011, 17:02
I thought just F-ducts aren’t allowed any more? But if it’s the upper part of the wing that’s moving I don’t see the teams being able to incorporate the fin anyway…
Fixy (@fixy) said on 29th January 2011, 17:06
To prevent F-Ducts, fins aren’t allowed to touch the rear wing, but I guess it’s possible to have fins like this: http://photos.gpupdate.net/newsnew/106466.jpg
msF1 said on 29th January 2011, 17:15
Yeah, you’re right, that should still be possible then…not that it looks any prettier that way.
Could be interesting to see if most of the teams go for an ’08-style fin or if they keep it as it’s shown above.
PJA said on 29th January 2011, 17:17
I thought it was just that shark fins couldn’t be joined to the rear wing anymore?
Patrickl (@patrickl) said on 29th January 2011, 17:55
The rule is:
“3.9.1 No bodywork situated between 50mm and 330mm forward of the rear wheel centre line may be more than 730mm above the reference plane.”
So perhaps Ferrari’s spike is just under this 730mm, but they would not be allowed to have a fin come near the rear wing higher than that.
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 29th January 2011, 19:15
So essentially any part of the engine cover that comes within 13″ of the rear axle when viewed from the side, can stick up higher than 28″. I think that means we won’t even be seeing ’08 style shark fins.
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 29th January 2011, 19:38
I stand corrected. This apparently leaked shot of the R31 looks like it’ll have an ’08 style shark fin: http://yfrog.com/h0s1ftj
BasCB said on 29th January 2011, 21:05
I think that is (part of) one of the pictures of the R30 in JPS box livery.
Catalina ;) said on 29th January 2011, 22:45
I think thats the Fauzy’s R30…
KaIIe (@kaiie) said on 29th January 2011, 17:29
I thought you could be able to see the movement more clearly, but now I’m pretty convinced there has to be a graphic on TV showing who’s using it. Just imagine trying to see if the wing angle has changed when the car blasts past the cameras at 250+km/h.
JustAnF1Fanatic (@justanf1fanatic) said on 29th January 2011, 17:34
As a mclaren fan, i have to say the ferrari looks (aesthetically) much better than last year, i might even be compelled to say “nice” :P
Scribe (@scribe) said on 29th January 2011, 18:39
Indeedy, I reckon there’ve nicked macca’s radiator inlet idea though. Make the car more sliperry
Eggry (@eggry) said on 29th January 2011, 18:03
This year’s helmet livery is horrible. all down to Malboro.
Fixy (@fixy) said on 29th January 2011, 19:13
All down to the logo.
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 29th January 2011, 19:17
The new Marlboro logo.
Fixy (@fixy) said on 29th January 2011, 21:51
Ferrari logo = Marlboro logo? Agree.
Scribe (@scribe) said on 29th January 2011, 18:51
Well I’m suprised by quite how much that wing jumps! A lot more movement than I was expecting, top speeds could be fearsome in quali.
It’ll make a big differance when following I suspect but it’ll have to snap down before the corners, expect we’ll see a lot of cars going straight on this season, it’ll have to snap up and down very quickly. Wonder how long it’ll take for the wind flow to re-attach.
US_Peter (@us_peter) said on 29th January 2011, 19:19
I was wondering the same thing. Qualifying speeds should be faster this year, since the moveable wing should be much more effective and efficient than the F-duct, which was already worth a good chunk of time per lap.
DeadManWoking (@deadmanwoking) said on 29th January 2011, 20:10
From adam Cooper’s Blog:
bosyber (@bosyber) said on 29th January 2011, 20:49
Although it could be dangerous, I think it does add a bit of extra required skill to pull off a successful overtaking move.
BasCB agrees with me, I am sure!
Hare (@hare) said on 29th January 2011, 19:23
So… Fernando, no excuses this time… if you wanna pass Massa, press all your ‘go-faster’ buttons… wing down, KERS on, and lead foot the right pedal.
Should be good, there’s gonna be a real art to defending a position this year, and I guarantee some will be much better than others.
AndrewTanner (@andrewtanner) said on 29th January 2011, 19:57
You can see that movement is going to give a sizeable advantage. The surface area difference is huge! I wonder what other features will appear on the cars…when Newey and co. get their heads ‘around’ the rule book?
DeadManWoking (@deadmanwoking) said on 29th January 2011, 20:20
WooHoo! The winter drought is over! The 24 Hours of Daytona starts in just 10 minutes. 8)
BROOKSY007 (@brooksy007) said on 29th January 2011, 20:41
Is there going to be a loophole here? Does it say that the rear wing can’t be used to assist breaking? If you could use it to assist breaking like on the veyron, that would be worth a second or two a lap! Although you might have to wear swimming goggles to keep your eyes from falling out!
Hare (@hare) said on 29th January 2011, 21:19
I love the idea of movable wings. I also love how people have judged it before it’s even been used in battle. I also don’t have a problem with making the drivers life more difficult. This is competition, it’s sport, a game, it’s a test of the talents of the drivers, and the brains of the engineers. It increases the range of fallibility and the scope of required ability.
I’m not convinced about the second gap rule, but I’ll be pleased to see Alonso overtake Massa on merit. I’ll also be pleased to see how the focused talents of Kubica and Kobayashi, along with Hamilton use these rules to their advantage.
Some drivers will stand out if they can understand, and master the tools at their disposal, when others complain, whinge, and ultimately make mistakes.
Icthyes (@icthyes) said on 29th January 2011, 21:27
The one thing I hope is that the stewards will be a little more lenient about defensive driving otherwise it really is going to be far too easy.
I swing from one opinion to the other. I hate the artificiality. But I hate the cars being designed to prevent overtaking in the first place.
Fixy (@fixy) said on 29th January 2011, 21:58
The one thing I hope is drivers will be a little less defensive to avoid serious crashes like Europe 2010.