Tech F1i: A closer look at the Force India VJM10

THE NOSTRILS ARE STILL THERE

Force-India-2017_VJM10_2

At first glance, Force India seems to have gone for the sort of thumb-tip nose designs that have been used on most F1 cars over the past three years. But actually, the Silverstone-based outfit has kept its signature ‘nostrils’, which already featured on its 2015- and 2016-spec chargers.

Indeed, there are still two air ducts pierced in the nose (see yellow arrows) but their bases have been hollowed out and painted in black, which make the nostrils harder to spot. What appears to be a tip is actually attached to the front wing pillars (see white arrows).

Devised under the stewardship of aero chief Simon Phillips, the solution allows having a smaller surface that offers less resistance to the airflow all the while keeping a design that is easier to manufacture. Indeed, shorter nosecones make crash tests harder to pass.

A central fin has been placed under the slender nose, in between the two nostrils. The element looks similar to the keel McLaren installed in the same area on its 2016-spec MP4-31.