F1 News: Toto Wolff Responds To Speculation Over W15 Front Wing
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has responded to speculation surrounding the front wing of the 2024 W15 F1 car after it was launched last week. Questions were raised over the legality of the wing and whether the new design would attract attention from the FIA.
Key Takeaways:
- Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff responds to speculation about the legality of the front wing on the 2024 W15 F1 car, following its recent launch.
- The team's new approach with the W15 aims to address their performance struggles under the ground-effect regulations introduced in 2022.
- Reports confirm that the FIA has verified the compliance of W15's front wing with regulations, with Wolff emphasizing the thorough checks every modification undergoes in collaboration with the FIA.
Mercedes Press Image
Mercedes entered the F1 2024 launch season with much anticipation, as the team aimed to take a different approach with the W15 following a single victory since the introduction of the new ground-effect regulations in 2022. And indeed, they have executed this plan.
While many waited for a comment from the FIA, experts suggested that W15's front wing was legal and that the team made excellent use of the loopholes in the regulations to come up with an out-of-the-box design.
The latest reports confirm the FIA has verified the wing's compliance with regulations. In a statement to Auto Motor und Sport, Wolff revealed that every modification on the car goes through thorough checks by the FIA before the car is put together. He explained:
"Everything that comes into the car comes about after an intensive exchange with the FIA.
"It's not like you develop something new and then just screw it onto the car."
The W15's front wing features an exceptionally slender fourth element designed to generate a Y250 vortex along the inner sides of the flaps. This vortex, formed on the inner side of the four front flaps, is managed by twisted vanes and skirts on the wing. Subsequently, the air passes through the bargeboards and the underbody, with the vortex intended to direct high-pressure air from the upper surface to the sides.