Red Bull RB5

[bhall]

The additional downforce from a flexy wing would balance the added rear-end downforce of the double-diffuser. So, Red Bull's success after implementing the new nose could be down to the simultaneous introduction of the flexy wing.

I don't know. I just started thinking about this after reading that bit in the RB8 thread about the flexy wings took two years of development to perfect.

[raymondu999]

Which bit? Also don't forget that while the first recent complaints of the flexing wing has been in 2010, (I think 2009 it was either not there, or was unnoticed due to the dominance of the double diffuser situation) in 2008 people had already been complaining about Red Bull wings flexing. Or that could've been 2007. 2006-2008 is 2 years since Newey's arrival to Red Bull...

[bhall]

The 2007 McLaren wing flexed, too. Hell, the bridge wing - featured also on the 2007 & 08 Red Bull - may have had more to do with supporting flex than anything else. But, eventually the FIA mandated the use of a nose support on bridge wings to curb the effect.

[raymondu999]

The 2007/8 Red Bull front wings were never the subject of controversy, but the rear wings were. It didn't flap close to stall like the Melbourne 2009 Toyota wing, but the trailing edge would sort of droop under the strain of the drag.

[bhall]

I didn't mean to imply that Red Bull had any front wing controversy in 07 or 08, just that they had bridge wings.

But now I'm interested to find out when Red Bull did start flexing the front wing.

[shelly]

I remember some eybrows began to rise in Monaco 2007, after seeing some screenshots of an accident between David Coulthard and another car at the chicane after the tunnel, in which the front wing of DC suffered a big displacement. DC was able to finish the race nonetheless. I have searched on internet for some pictures, but I have not found them. Maybe someone can find them?

[raymondu999]

I distinctly remember that in either the 2007 or 2008, on the F1 season review DVD - they showed a clip of Pat Symonds (working for then-Renault at Enstone) talking about the Red Bull rear wing flexing, and they then showed a shot of the rear wing coming back up under braking for Barcelona T1.

[krisfx]

There are videos on youtube of most teams using flexing bridge wings in 08, especially McLaren so I'm sure you'll find something