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According to the
recent FIA/AMD survey,
where over 93,000 fans gave their opinion, the vast majority
(94%) want to see more overtaking. This is why the FIA and
its research team came up with a proposal for a radical new
wing to make more overtaking possible.
The problem has been
that most aerodynamic research aims to improve a car’s performance when running in what
is known as ‘clean’ air which has not been disturbed
by the wake of a car in front. However, in race conditions
when cars follow each other closely, the wake of one car
significantly reduces the aerodynamic performance of the
following car, making overtaking extremely difficult and
often impossible.
To combat this problem the FIA initiated
a programme of research which looked into improving aerodynamic
performance
when a car is trying to overtake. With the help of the FIA’s
technology partner AMD, the research team came up with the
concept of a Centreline Downwash Generating (CDG) wing.
Max Mosley, FIA President said, “This new research
is important for the future of Formula One. By introducing
the CDG wing we can give motor sport fans exactly what they
have asked for,
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wheel-to-wheel
racing with much more overtaking.
The CDG wing is a split rear wing designed to generate a wake of non-turbulent
air allowing the following car to run close to the car in front without losing
downforce on the front wing.
The proposal met with broad approval by the Formula One Commission and was ratified
by the FIA World Motor Sport Council. The commission also agreed a proposal for
tyres to be supplied by a single manufacturer. As such, the CDG Wing, together
with wider wheels and slick tyres, will form part of the 2008 FIA Formula One
Technical Regulations.
However, with the support and collaboration of the teams it is possible these
changes could be introduced as early as 2007. The package will be brought forward
if an 80% majority of the Formula One Technical Working Group agree to do so
before the end of December 2005.
Mosley added: ”It is our hope that the teams will collaborate with us in
the optimisation of this radical new idea so that the aerodynamic benefits can
be introduced into Formula One in 2007 rather than having to wait until 2008.”
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