F1 News
Ferrari look set to use banned Mercedes front wing in 2023
Ferrari have unveiled the new SF23 and at the event in Maranello, the front wing immediately caught the eye. Indeed, it resembles the wing from Mercedes that was met with much criticism at the 2022 US GP.
In 2022, Mercedes came to the US with the last major upgrade package of the year. Part of this package was a revised front wing, on which as many as five fins had been added to both sides of the front wing. These fins secured the top two flaps of the wing. Rival teams argued that this gave Mercedes an unfair aerodynamic advantage. As a precaution, the team removed the wings. Later, the wing was indeed censured by the FIA.
Ferrari shows banned 2022 Mercedes wing
It's now a surprise that Ferrari have built the same kind of front wing on the new 2023 car (it also shows exactly five fins per wing side). Yet there seems to have been a rule change that now allows it. Mercedes engineer Mike Elliott described the problem at the time: "There is a fuss about it because the regulations talk about the primary use for mechanical or measurement purposes, and there is clearly a secondary benefit of an aerodynamic design that is also in there. " A revised version of the 2023 Technical Regulations dated 7 December has removed the emphasis on the primary use of the fins.
A line has literally been drawn in Article 3.9.8 that requires fins on the front wing to be used only for mechanical and structural purposes. Ferrari has paid close attention and has seen that the secondary (aerodynamic) benefits may be included again. Ferrari's advantage only remains to be seen. Mercedes have not yet unveiled their car and may also have developed the wing in the same way.
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