Renault wing - strange behaviour?

[Barbazza]

I have just had the following link pointed out to me by a friend. It is very short and you need to watch a few times to see it but the Renault rear wing definitely seems to behave in a strange way. Are rear wings allowed to move like that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlC-7L8L2TE
I think it was filmed in Fuji.

[zac510]

It looks like it was responding to the shock of the chicane-hopping, not to aerodynamic input.

Wings are allowed to move however they want as long as they pass scrutineering

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Barbazza

I have just had the following link pointed out to me by a friend. It is very short and you need to watch a few times to see it but the Renault rear wing definitely seems to behave in a strange way. Are rear wings allowed to move like that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlC-7L8L2TE
I think it was filmed in Fuji.

I've just had a friend point that out to me too

It was an odd motion. I suppose that you wouldn't notice the flexing as easily if it was caused by aerodynamic load. To do that you'd have to compare the wing at low speed and high speed. I wonder if you'd see the same movement?

I'm sure it passed scrutineering. he he.

We had a suggestion that Renaults recent engine changes (for reliability) had added many horses, but coul dit be a slippy wing?

[FPV GTHO]

Well it appears to be acting from an upward force, not downward, which the FIA dont test for so it could be some grey area theyre exploiting or it simply could be reacting from the chicane.

[Marbot]

Renault are using ducts in the rear bodywork to heat the tyres,maybe they're using it to heat something else as well.

[Graz]

It's nothing - it's just the whole movement of suspension, shock etc of hitting the kerbs.

Alss, the flexi wings only really worked on straights where they lowered to decrease drag. The above movement was mid corner consistent with any shock movement of kerb hopping.

[Mr V]

Not exactly sure what i'm meant to be looking at tbh.

[jonboy1066]

Looks to me like the entire plane with "RENAULT" on it moves seperately from the rest of the body of the wing, and it appears damped by the way it moves, but what the hey, looks like they've got away with it if it is an "Interpretation" of the rule book.

[Smokey 6 litre]

i dont see any problem, any structure will deform under load and especially the kind of loading while the car is running over rumble strips.
And if it is deliberate then they've made a massive cock up as the compression of the upper filament is only for a fraction of a second in a part of the track where he would require more downforce.
No problem here.

[bestfit]

Originally Posted by Smokey 6 litre

i dont see any problem, any structure will deform under load and especially the kind of loading while the car is running over rumble strips.
And if it is deliberate then they've made a massive cock up as the compression of the upper filament is only for a fraction of a second in a part of the track where he would require more downforce.
No problem here.

That was my initial thought as well, however before the race the other night channel 10 here showed additional footage apparently posted on YouTube but different to the footage linked to this thread. The footage they aired appeared to show the rear wing "squatting" along the straights, not over ripple strips in a corner. This would be much more advantageous in reducing drag along the straights.

Peter Windsor was asked about it and he said that the footage was causing great waves throughout the paddock. I expected to hear more on this but so far all is silent.

[JeremySmith]

Rather like the Ferrari rear wing then of some time ago...

[johnh875]

I saw the same footage as bestfit, can't find it on youtube however. It seemed to me that the footage was very low quality, so a slight movement of the whole wing might have been exaggerated, possibly some flex of the mount with increasing load, and also there was some movement of the top wing element, again it appeared to me to be only due to the loading.

[Marbot]

There'll be loads of videos on you-tube next season,showing worrying amounts of front wing movement.

[Smokey 6 litre]

Originally Posted by bestfit

The footage they aired appeared to show the rear wing "squatting" along the straights, not over ripple strips in a corner. This would be much more advantageous in reducing drag along the straights.

I'd like to see that footage.

the Rear wing 'squatting' reduces the slot gap between the upper and lower rear wing filament reducing the downforce and drag created so obviously you want this effect on a long straight for maximum benefit.
However, considering that on long straights the rear wing is under its maximum load (with drag and downforce squaring with speed) then some compression of the structure is unavoidable.

[Lotusonpole]

The wing flexes when the car rides the kerb. IMO I don't see anything that suggests sinister areo tweaks. Also camera angle may exaggerate what shake there is.

Cheers
Peter