China tech: Mercedes reacts with new wing

Despite the short gap between the two flyaway races in Malaysia and China, a surprising amount of new developments have appeared - with a clear push from champion team Mercedes after Ferrari thwarted it last time out.

Although much of the crucial work to find time around the Shanghai circuit will be on tyre management and brake cooling, it's clear to see some teams are now hard at work improving what typically remains a Melbourne specification on their cars.

MERCEDES

In the wake of its defeat by Ferrari in Malaysia, Mercedes pressed into a service a new front wing, which is a huge departure in design from previous versions.

The wing raced to date this year is derived from the 2014 wing, so the update is the de facto 2015 design.

While at first glance it appears similar to the outgoing design, the outer sections are substantially different.

Their shape has a unique square-edged arch, separated from the more conventionally shaped inboard ends of the wing.

In doing this, Mercedes has followed a path similar to Ferrari's front wing, where the wing span is compartmentalised into inner and outboard shapes.

Thus the six element outboard section directly ahead of the front tyre, which is distinguishable from its bare carbon appearance, is made to work very hard in both creating downforce and directing its wake outboard of the tyre.

The four element inner span of wing is far less aggressive, with only the inboard tips working hard to create the Y250 vortex, itself a means to push the front tyre wake away from the centre of the car.

These unusual outboard sections can best be understood when viewed from the rear. The tunnel they create forms a powerful vortex that is directed around the front tyre. This is a step change in front wing design.

It's possible Mercedes has taken such an adventurous path, as it does not have the blown front axles of its rivals, which also serve to push the front tyre wake away from the car.

Allied to the new front wing, Mercedes also revised its front brake ducts accordingly. Then for the high speed straights of Shanghai, a low drag rear wing with triangular notches cut from the wing tips to reduce drag was introduced.

FERRARI

Remaining largely in its successful Malaysia specification, Ferrari's main visual update was slimmer rear bodywork.

As China is cooler and the long straights reward low drag, the top bodywork around the exhaust area was brought in much tighter and lower.

This reduces the cooling outlet area, but will also improve aero efficiency.

RED BULL

Not visually evident, but critical none the less, Red Bull switched its brake material back to Brembo.

These discs and pads have been less popular over the past year, with an apparent inconsistency in quality. However the character of the Italian-made material is less heat sensitive, thus brake performance between wet and dry requires less brake duct management.

On the car itself Red Bull switched between rear wings to find the best set-up for the straights, with the older format wing, featuring the simpler vertical slot, being preferred over the newer endplates with the more complicated vertical slot design.

On the front wing a new vane on the endplate was tested. This vane is more typically rectangular in design, with a hole cut out of the lower edge, to expose the wing's elements inside. Now the vane has an angled trailing edge and no lower cut-out.

WILLIAMS

As with Ferrari, Williams tightened its already compact rear bodywork to tuck everything tighter into the rear of the engine and exhaust area.

Time was spent in free practice back-to-back testing a new front wing specification. Unlike Mercedes' major change, this was a subtle development of the existing wing.

Even when next to each other, the differences are barely distinguishable.

The new wing has a different underwing fence set-up, with three fences on one and just two on the other. Aside from visual changes, there may be unseen internal structural differences in the wing's construction.

SAUBER

The C34 is evidently based heavily on its 2014 predecessor as the team's windtunnel programme was heavily cut back by funding issues.

So the early introduction of the new front wing was a surprise on the Sauber. Originally planned for Barcelona, the wing's design was signed off long ago, but held back in manufacturing.

It was able to be expedited by the team's head of vehicle performance Elliot Dason Barber, initially for a Bahrain debut and eventually for here in China.

The wing is a change from a simple four element design to a far more contemporary five element set-up.

The main plane forms two elements and new full width flaps make up the three other aero foil sections.

While the cascades and outboard section form a similar outwash design to that of the old wing, it's the increased amount of working surface and how much harder the inboard tips are worked to create the Y250 vortex that really distinguishes the new design from old.

This new wing was also mated to some subtle changes on the front brake ducts.

McLAREN

Again more power has been dialled into the Honda power unit, no doubt China's cooler conditions aiding the cause, but there are also revised specification parts around the ERS allowing more electrical power to harvested and reused.

Among the chassis upgrades are new parts on the brake ducts. Although not part of the brake cooling package, the organic-looking inner fences now gain a small horizontal fin to manage the front wing wake around the inside face of the front tyres.

MANOR

Running two cars simultaneously for the first time, Manor is now able to work on the updated car's set-up, although we will not see physical development parts added to this interim chassis.

Having seen the steps Sauber has made with the 2015 Ferrari engine in a relatively unchanged chassis, Manor is now focusing on the construction of its 2015 car in order to have the new power unit available.

Design work was already well advanced on the 2015 car before the financial problems of last year so it will be completed and manufacturing started on what is looking to be a promising new car.