We have hit the halfway mark of the 2015 F1 season and have been joined by some very interesting designs. Such good ideas that teams have been transformed. Here is a top five of the best.
5. McLaren side pods
From fantastic engine heroics and ERS design from Honda, this made McLaren the leader in bodywork design this season. Deemed the “Size-Zero” rear, this gave McLaren an aerodynamic advantage to its competitors.
By having a very narrow rear engine cover, this, therefore, opens up space, where a bigger volume of air can reach the rear wing main planes. By this McLaren are able to extract that little bit more performance front the rear wing assembly.
4. Toro Rosso front wing
Although it was updated at the Jerez test, it showed a midfield team could have advanced aerodynamics. Toro Rosso surprised us all with its Red Bull inspired front wing assembly.
For element flaps help create a big upwash of the cars front tyre wake, which is very handy. Cascade has been working very well with turning the airflow on the outside of the front wheels.
For number three, we look at another McLaren design. From the outdated “pelican nose,” McLaren moved to the more successful thumb nose.
By having the thumb extension, the team were able to get more flow under the chassis. As with the old one it prevented that. The net gain is that the diffuser can generate more performance.
2. Mercedes front wing
Bar far the most impressive front wing this calendar year. Mercedes blew us all away when the team had a huge vortex acceleration section of the front wing. The wing tips were great and producing a vortex to push the turbulent tyre wake around the front tyre, and also keep f the rear bodywork.
Mercedes have not only making more downforce up front but also clearing turbulent air front the rest of the car. So, Mercedes are producing more downforce on the rear wing too.
Ranked number one is the Force India nose which featured slots for the air flow. Last year we saw the popular finger extension on the cars. And Force India have tried to return back to it but in the current regulations.
If you look the finger is still there, it’s the inner section between the slots. To make it comply with the new 2015 nose regulations, it has to be joint at the leading edge. This is very inventive and was not tried by anyone else, which makes it number one in my list.
