Both teams knew going into Yas Marina that if one of them achieved a big lead in top speed, it could be decisive in coming out victorious at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last of the 2021 Formula 1 season. .
For that reason, it was no big surprise that Mercedes opted to fit the low-downforce rear wing that had already given a very good result in Saudi Arabia to its single-seaters.
This rear wing, which was also used in Azerbaijan, features an upper flap with a larger than usual V-shaped cutout in the center section of the wing.
In addition, it also has small cutouts at each end to help reduce the car’s drag on the straight compared to the other low-downforce spec used at Silverstone and Spa.
Said element is supported by a single central pillar, as opposed to the double support configuration that they used in their higher downforce configurations (below left of the photo).
That may seem like a small detail but you have to keep in mind that having less load on the wing, you don’t need the stability that the double support could offer.
This also gave the Mercedes team the opportunity to take advantage of the aerodynamic benefit of having a single support in relation to the flow that runs along the underside of the main rear wing flap.
With this setup, the DRS actuator module is also combined with the center pillar, rather than being mounted separately, in order to create a different effect compared to when the DRS is open at the higher downforce specification. .
It’s also worth noting that Mercedes also didn’t want to put a T-wing on its low-downforce setup for Yas Marina.
Red Bull, however, appeared to be slightly less sure of the direction they were going to take during their preparation for the weekend, as they once again compared various low and medium downforce setups at the rear of the car.
Both drivers used the medium downforce spec during FP1, perhaps the least representative session of the weekend.
Doing that can also serve to build driver confidence as they can adapt to the car a bit quicker than they would have if they had started the weekend with the lower downforce option.
For FP2, the team changed its mind and fitted the lower downforce rear wing to Sergio Pérez’s RB16B, while Verstappen continued to assess and collect data on the medium downforce setup.
These roles were reversed when FP3 arrived, but when the real action got underway with qualifying and the race, both drivers fitted the low-downforce rear wing.
Red Bull’s low-medium downforce rear wings use a scoop-shaped mainplane design, although the low-downforce spec has a steeper transition and shorter travel on the outer section.
Meanwhile, both designs are very different on the sides, looking for an impact on the wing vortices to benefit the downforce and drag generated by the car.
This is why the Red Bull team’s medium downforce wing uses the same aerodynamic nuances as the high downforce wing, as can be seen in its shapes and cuts (pictured above), while the low downforce version is a much simpler design.
Red Bull’s choice to move to the low downforce specification was ultimately made in response to the apparent top speed advantage Mercedes had during free practice sessions.
The change was obviously made with the idea of trying to match their single lap performance in qualifying, but they knew they risked further tire degradation during the race as the wheels would be more prone to overheating.
Ferrari arrived in Abu Dhabi thinking about F1 in 2022 with his car
As the two title contenders battled it out at the front of the grid, Ferrari for example looked for a way to use the final race of the season as a test for developing and understanding their 2022 car.
The Maranello team went into FP1 with a large array of sensors and Kiel probes at the rear of Charles Leclerc’s SF21 to collect data on airflow behavior at the rear of the car, focusing on the 13-inch Pirelli tyres. inches.
This data will help provide a benchmark as they test their “mule car” during post-season testing to gain a better understanding of the 18″ wheels and tires that will be used starting next season.
