Aston Martin Red Bull Racing TAG Heuer RB14

[ENGINE TUNER]

I don't think they are being secretive, earlier this morning (see pics a bit more up) they had the whole package on.

I think they just want confirmation from the driver (Ricci) if indeed the car feels less planted without the flow conditioners in place (as they cost drag, and if Ricci feels fine without them maybe an alternative solution can also be found). Just testing I guess.

Or they could be evaluating both a high and low drag options.

[gandharva]

The sidepod winglets are slitted. We have seen this last year too.
http://abload.de/img/13tsci.jpg

No, that's from suspension... Look on the left one, than back to the right...

No. See yellow circle. Left one ist the slit, right one (straight line) is the mounting.

[Sieper]

Sharp eye, but i don’t think this is an actual slit, likely a different material is used for the tip, to give it rigidity.

[gandharva]

Sharp eye, but i don’t think this is an actual slit, likely a different material is used for the tip, to give it rigidity.

I think it's a slit. They already used it in 2017. I think its there to reduce the stiffness of the winglet to allow for some slight flexing.

[Sieper]

Oooh, yeah! That sounds convincing indeed. A slot for flexing so that the tip can flutter a bit to relieve Some stress, or to create a vortex? Actually, if you watch the filming day 360 degrees camera footage and look back to this winglet you see it flexing.

[PhillipM]

It's just a legality slit to match the slot in the floor. Look at it from above.

[Sieper]

Can you explain what that Means Phillip? I am unaware of the concept?

It does indeed match the Floor:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DW9fkDVWAAAQoqV.jpg

So if there is a slit in the floor al body work in a straight line above must match?

[Just_a_fan]

The rules don't allow any surface facing downwards to be visible from below unless on the step plane. These parts are above the step plane and there is a slot in something that is on the step plane below. So they add the legality slots so that it "can't be seen from below". If you looked up from below the car, you'd see daylight rather than the aero piece.

[Sieper]

Thanks! I just used up my last two plusses on Phillip and Gandharva the slit spotter but that was helpfull! Bit of a weird rule, or shall we say it can be worked around in this weird way.

[ENGINE TUNER]

I don't think they are being secretive, earlier this morning (see pics a bit more up) they had the whole package on.

I think they just want confirmation from the driver (Ricci) if indeed the car feels less planted without the flow conditioners in place (as they cost drag, and if Ricci feels fine without them maybe an alternative solution can also be found). Just testing I guess.

Or they could be evaluating both a high and low drag configurations.

[Just_a_fan]

It was brought in to stop teams using certain parts to directly generate downforce.

[Sieper]

Yes, that plethora of wings on cars we saw like 8 to 10 years ago i think? Those were ugly. So a good rule

[tmoneyr007]

Day 3 testing, Sutton Images shows the RB14 not having the Z wing on again.

[McMrocks]

As some suggested the slots in the RB14 are probably due to the same raeson as the slots in the FW41 flow conditioner ahead of the sidepods. The cutouts on the FW41 match the slots in the barge boards so that no part of the flow conditioner is seen from underneath the car.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DONJFrRX4AA3yyZ.jpg

[Moose]

It was brought in to stop teams using certain parts to directly generate downforce.

It wasn't - it was brought in to stop double diffusers. by not allowing you to see bodywork through any cut in the floor, you could no longer put a top on the second diffuser.