Formula 1 teams have largely followed the spirit and intent of the regulations that set out the technical regulations for this season, but that has not meant the end of innovations. Designers have brought their creativity to the fore and have interpreted these rules in their own way.
Aston Martin was one of the latest to join this group, just before the summer break, with a technically fascinating rear wing design. The new endplate model defies the convention established in the regulations, in which the transition between the main plane and the flaps is formulated.
The rear wing of the Aston Martin AMR22
The approach taken by legislators in this case is both aesthetic and streamlined, as it is not only intended to be more visually appealing than more conventional design, but is also one of the measures intended to help reduce complexity and alter the profile of the wake of a car, so that another single-seater can follow it more closely.
The design in question is reminiscent of past seasons, with the front of the endplate extended above the mainplane to create a joint between the two elements, and which in turn extends the span of the mainplane, but without introducing harsh flow conditions. air
The inwardly rolled top edge , shaped like a comma, has more to do with meeting the various radius and continuity standards, but has since been optimized to meet the designers’ overall goals as well.
Aston Martin AMR22 rear wing endplate
Introducing such a complex design couldn’t be done overnight, as the team not only had to make the controversial wing work as intended, but as team performance director Tom McCullough explains , had to undergo FIA scrutiny on numerous occasions to ensure that it also met the requirements.
“Several months passed from first contact to full FIA approval,” he said. “And once approval is obtained, all the designs are designed, manufactured and presented before the race weekend.”
“And again, the FIA has to make sure they’re still happy with it, which they did. And then you put it in the car.”
Aston Martin AMR22 rear wing endplate
However, even if this new design feature did result in a measurable increase in performance at the Hungarian Grand Prix, that doesn’t mean Aston Martin will bring it to every race weekend. The cost cap is one reason, and Aston Martin already has several wing designs that it hopes to reuse over the course of the next few months.
“We have a whole set of wings that we’ve already made,” McCullough added. “We’ve already used a lot of them for different track needs. So use them again? It’s just a matter of profitability.”
The other interesting question is who will follow in Aston Martin’s footsteps and produce their own version of this solution. It should be an interesting story to follow, and the first question to ask is whether the design appeals to other teams and their targets, considering the sheer number of rear wings they have at their disposal.
Second, once the preliminary design simulations have been done, which most teams will likely have done by now, does it provide the performance gain needed to justify further optimization and the resources that go with it?
Third, will it fit into the remaining budget , due to cost cap challenges?
Last but not least, as it will have the biggest impact on other teams’ choices as to whether they decide to produce a version of their own. Will the FIA step in and review the regulations to ban this design for 2023?
