Red Bull continues to search for a solution to the problems of the rear wing

(Motorsport-Total.com) – Red Bull has admitted that they are still looking for a solution to this Rear wing problems Which the team suffered in the last Formula 1 races. Television images showed that the upper element of the DRS aft wing flaps when the DRS is open.

This behavior appears to be due to the fact that the so-called actuator, pressing directly on the movable wing element in order to open it, is not able to cope with the forces acting on it.

The problems arose in Qatar before Red Bull turned to their high-powered rear wing from qualifying, which we know can be used without any issues. However, the upcoming races in Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi will likely require more low or medium downforce.

This puts Red Bull under pressure to ensure that problems with this configuration do not recur. Team boss Christian Horner confirmed after the race in Qatar that they are aware that the more problematic wing will have to be used again in the upcoming races.

At Lusail, the higher downforce option is still chosen. “That was our favorite wing and that was the direction we wanted to go,” Horner said of switching to a high-powered version of the qualifying.

“If the other pavilions are needed in Jeddah or Abu Dhabi, of course we must have solutions.” But Red Bull’s tackling of the issues is made more difficult by the fact that the DRS starter is a replica component for 2021, so it cannot be changed easily.

However, Horner is confident that it will not cause too many problems for his team. “I think from a reliability standpoint it should be relatively easy to fix these engines,” he said. “We’ve used it for many years, so it’s not a new technology.”

Explanation of Red Bull’s Wing Problems

The problem affects the hind wing upper organ and the flutter motion observed when the DRS is activated. This flutter occurs when the DRS actuator and conductive elements cannot remain sufficiently stable due to forces acting on the structure.

Even if there is no performance advantage and therefore no attempt to circumvent the rules, flutter is something Red Bull does not want to run in the race for safety reasons, where the FIA ​​might otherwise intervene.

© Giorgio Biola

Red Bull in Qatar responded by boosting DRS attachment points Zoom

Red Bull, like all other drivers this season, has two rear wing modification designs available as the FIA ​​has added the DRS starter and stabilizers to its homologation list for 2021.

In order to redesign it, teams will have to spend one of the two development tokens they have available to them. Red Bull released its tokens at the start of the season to develop a new gearbox.

This means that the drafts have been going on since the middle of 2020, when the ingredients were once again frozen according to regulations. While the overall design and layout of the Red Bull’s rear wings hasn’t changed significantly since then, there are still a few things to keep in mind.

There are three basic rear wing downforce configurations in the Red Bull Pool: high, medium and low. We’ve seen them all more than once this year. In addition, there was also the very low downforce version of the Italian Grand Prix and various plates.

In the past, teams were able to adapt and develop the DRS trigger to individual requirements for individual wing settings. However, due to the aforementioned smoothing limits, this is not possible this season.

© Giorgio Biola

Three rear wing compressive strength configurations: high, medium and low Zoom

In Qatar, Red Bull tested both the high and medium bearish strength formation on Friday. Average compressive strength was preferred for qualifying and racing.

However, as the DRS problem persisted throughout the third free training session, the team eventually switched to the High Strength System, meaning it lost some of its velocity straight.

To get an idea of ​​how much damage this can affect performance: Red Bull has only used the high-powered variant on two other tracks this season, namely in Monaco and Mexico.

to keep calm

Red Bull has also made some cooling changes in the past few races. The cooling port next to both ends of the aura was opened wider than before.

If cooling is not so important, the vents can be completely closed. The smaller apertures were used for most of the season. And in some cases, only one port is required to open.

© Giorgio Biola

In Qatar, Red Bull relied on asymmetric cooling outlets Zoom

But in Mexico, the team widened the openings on either side of the car, To support larger outlets in the back of the car. In Qatar, again, the asymmetric design was favored, with a larger port on the right side of the car and a smaller outlet on the left.