The Mercedes and Ferrari F1 wing ideas many thought were banned

This is why every season there is some toing and froing between the competitors and the FIA in this endless battle for performance.

The 2023 season has already shown two clear examples of ways teams have aggressively pursued ideas that some of their rivals may have presumed were banned.

Mercedes and Ferrari both revealed some intriguing aspects to their front wings on their launch specification cars. These featured concepts that were thought to have been sidelined in the FIA’s quest to minimise outwash.

However, designers never unlearn what they already know and that is why they chase ways to push the wording of the rules to the limits – and pounce on the smallest of regulation changes.

Mercedes clever endplate

To set the context, Mercedes introduced a new front wing design at the Miami Grand Prix last season with an endplate and flap design that went against the grain, in terms of what F1 had envisaged when it framed the regulations. 

The focus of this design was to use the outboard section of the wing as a flow conditioning device, much like it had been under the previous regulations.

The idea was that the airflow would be pushed laterally across the tyre face and out around the wheel assembly, in order that it had an impact on the wake created by the tyre and wheel assembly.

In order to achieve this, Mercedes had slung back the wing elements to open up the lower section of the endplate, creating a means for the airflow to move in a way that isn’t achieved when following the intent laid out in the regulations.

The FIA made changes to the regulations for 2023 in an effort to prevent this sort of design being achievable.

However, a close look at the W14 from the launch showed that Mercedes have once again found a way to use the design concept, albeit with changes having been made to comply with the regulations.

Mercedes W14 front wing detail

Photo by: Mercedes AMG

Those changes include detaching the flaps from the endplate, but twisting their edges in a similar manner. This has been done in a way to help invoke vortices that will combine into a much larger aerodynamic flow structure. 

The flaps are then tied into the endplate with much smaller brackets, which make the design legal, along with another winglet that sits above them, and will also provide aerodynamic support.

Ferrari copies Mercedes idea…

A design that Mercedes had hoped to introduce at the…