Weird Looking Aero Part...what is it?

[F1ParkingSpace]

Saw this image of 2 pieces of aero kit outside the Force India (I think) garage and couldn't figure out what they are.



Can anyone shed any light on it?

ETA: They kinda look like front wings but with loads missing... is that what they are and do the teama assemble the front wing at the race? I always assumed they would be shipped a fully built up parts...

[ISLAMATRON]

front wing, minus the endplates and adjustable flaps.

[jddh1]

front wings. just missing a few plates.

EDIT: Islamatron beat me to the answer.

[Scotracer]

Interesting how they would store them in such a way - typically they leave them fully assembled.

[Shaddock]

Interesting how they would store them in such a way - typically they leave them fully assembled.

It's the first year with the electric motors built in to the endplates, maybe they are easily damaged if knocked.

[jwielage]

That is an interesting photo for a number of reasons.

First is it just me or do the vaines under the the lower element of the front wing look long or is that just because the primary downforce generating profile is gone? Also there seems to be very little or no curvature to these vains. Similar bits on the R29 take an abrupt bend toward the endplate as the air exits, such a bend would seem to divert air around the outside of the front wheel. The Force India solution would seem to send the flow directly into the front wheel.

In addition, I don't recall seeing these vanes on the 2008 front wings. Now I could have just been missing them, but I am willing to bet that they weren't there. Can anyone explain why we are now seeing these on the 2009 spec front wings when they didn't exist in the past?

[Spencifer_Murphy]

I'm 100% certain the MP4-23 had them...not sure about other cars but I wouldn't be suprised if hey did also.

[imightbewrong]

from above:

[Agerasia]

I think they stabalise the air rather than turn it, hence they are straight.

[lkocev]

I'm not a aerodynamicist, but I think so the reason why we are seeing more of these type of vanes under the front wing is because it now has a close proximity to the ground. I think so it hepls the front wing function in a similar way to a diffuser, making the wing also more efficient... Correct me if I'm completly wrong...

[Scotracer]

Those work in the same way as the fins on a diffuser to channel the airflow to keep it "straight" as the wing is more efficient that way.

[modbaraban]

The weirdest thing on that 1st picture is the color of the socks (upper right)

[kilcoo316]

I'm not a aerodynamicist, but I think so the reason why we are seeing more of these type of vanes under the front wing is because it now has a close proximity to the ground.

Half right.

They are there because the wheel would induce (unwanted) transverse flow. Now that the wings are wider, and more in-front of the wheel, the upstream effects of the wheels are larger.


As Scotracer alludes to, a flow straight along the wing is best - for a F1 wing anyway.

[tk421]

The weirdest thing on that 1st picture is the color of the socks (upper right)

He must have got them at Honda's liquidation over the winter

[pitlaneimmigrant]

Interesting how they would store them in such a way - typically they leave them fully assembled.

It may just be that everything was a bit last minute, so the spare noses are being built a the track either due to a shortage of parts or indecision as to which spec of wing to build.
Now that I think about it, given the size of the '09 wings you can probably pack them a lot more efficiently if you take the mainplane off the nose.