Aesthetic appeal in F1 - surely not!?

[MIKEY_!]

I asked in the HRT forum a while back whether this curve on the front top corner of the HRT's rear wing endplate was just for aesthetics or if it actually had some aerodynamic purpose. Unsurprisingly I was hit with the usual 'of course not, aesthetics have no place in F1 design' line. So then, what does this curve do?

[shelly]

That cureve has been there on F1 rear wings since the 80s I think.
In that zone the endplate eeffect is not significat, so there is no gain in adding surface and wehight, potetially increasing shadow from endplate in yaw condition.
That rounded shape it's a basic solution for a cheap rwep (notice that it does not have gills).

[Jersey Tom]

Makes it go fast.

[mep]

The idea behind it could be that a sharp edge can create a vortex during yaw. For a round edge this is much more unlikely to happen.

[PNSD]

Makes it go fast.

Apparently it doesn't work very well.

[MIKEY_!]

No other team runs this. Why not, anyone got a pic of the last car to run this (other than the HRT)

[Byronrhys]

No other team runs this. Why not, anyone got a pic of the last car to run this (other than the HRT)

Sauber ran a wing similar to that, its not just aesthetic.

[MIKEY_!]

I'm not saying it is aesthetic just couldn't see a significant benefit. Neither of these examples are anything like the extent of the HRT. Sauber still run something like that. As do Ferrari and FI but they are very small.

[JackHammer]

I've always wondered what the mini sharkfin is meant to do on the HRT...
I remember seeing it flapping around like mad from a rear view camera in China or Malaysia, that can't be good for the aerodynamics surely?

[MIKEY_!]

Wow if its doing that it must be bad. It is supposed to straighten the air flowing to the rear wing (fixing turbulence from the airbox) and improving stability under yaw.