Tech F1i – Under the Singapore lights

Force India F1 VJM10 Shark Fin Winglet

FORCE INDIA’S SAW-TOOTH SHARK FIN

Singapore’s Marina Bay Circuit is a high-downforce track, hence F1 teams bringing a series of evolutions aimed at generating more aero load.

Force India showed great creativity in that field, adding some 30 tiny winglets on the VJM10’s shark fin engine cover.

The winglets are titled downwards, which mean they don’t create downforce, however each does produce vortices that will merge to “ create a downwash effect towards the rear wing”, as explained by renowned F1 technical expert Craig Scarborough, which equates to increasing the angle of attack of said rear wing.

As a result, the three-plane T-wing introduced in Monaco was run in a revised design. Each of the three planes was split into two; subdividing a wing into several planes allows for a higher angle of attack without the air separating from the wing.