Premium

Technology in conversation (10) - Upwind for downforce, lent by wings

This article was auto-translated. We apologize if some words are confusing or simply amusing. Would you like to help us improve?

Created on July 8, 2021

Text:

Gerhard Schütz

Photos:

Josef Reinhard (Archiv Daniel Reinhard)

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Gerhard Schütz

Bruno von Rotz

Daimler AG

Antoine Dellenbach

Balz Schreier

Josef Mayrhofer

Klaus D. Lehmann-Gräve

HP Seufert (Archiv Rainer Braun)

Mercedes-Benz AG

Alan Mann Racing

Calvin Burgart

Hallo Fahrerlager (diverse Archive)

Archiv

Josef Reinhard (Archiv Daniel Reinhard)

Daniel Reinhard

Archiv Gerhard Schütz

Bruno von Rotz

Daimler AG

Antoine Dellenbach

Balz Schreier

Josef Mayrhofer

Klaus D. Lehmann-Gräve

HP Seufert (Archiv Rainer Braun)

Mercedes-Benz AG

Alan Mann Racing

Calvin Burgart

Hallo Fahrerlager (diverse Archive)

Archiv

The Porsche 550 RS Spyder "Michael May" (1955) - now restored, but still with the massive wing as back then

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Two wings? Why? After all, birds have them too... (Lotus 49)

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

The 1968 Monza GP showed that the great wing-spraying had begun, as the increasing power of the 3-liter Formula 1 engines (since 1966) demanded downforce

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ferrari 312 F1 (1968) - with rear wing at Spa

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Collateral benefits - wings as rain protection

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Wings as advertising space - "Free space for advertising" - however, the Ferrari P4 shown never had a wing

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chaparral 2F (1967) - at the 1000 km race at Spa-Francorchamps

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chaparral 2F (1967) driven by Phil Hill/Mike Spence at the 24 Hours of Le Mans

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chaparral 2F (1967) - Jim Hall's Chaparral 2F at the pit stop (12 Hours of Sebring 1967)

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chaparral 2F (1967) at the 1000km race Nürburgring 1967 - Phil Hill and Mike Spence, chassis #2F002 - retired due to gearbox damage

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Chaparral 2E (1966) - Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

This Chaparral 2E has "lost its feathers"

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Michael May's Porsche 550, at Monza in 1956 - 10 years before Chaparral with wing

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Porsche 550 Spyder "May" (1956) - Goodwood Festival of Speed 2018

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Porsche 550 RS Spyder "Michael May" (1955) - at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2016 in Class E "Daring to be different"

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Start in Barelcon 1969 - the field sets off in an orderly fashion

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Graham Hill crashes after breaking his wing in Barcelona 1969

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Brabham (1969) - Jacky Ickx breaks his rear wing in the race for the South African Grand Prix

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Even the next generation didn't want to do without downforce

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-AMG Formula 1 with DRS rear wings

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Plan of the wing for the Lotus 49B from 1969

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Lotus 56 STP Special (1968) - during the demonstration drives on the occasion of the Jim Clark Tribute at the Goodwood Revival 2013

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Double-decker in Formula 2 - Winkelmann-Brabham - Albi 1969

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

The cartoonist was already thinking ahead ...

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mercedes-Benz T 80 from 1939 with side wing stubs

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Opel Rak 2 (1928) - rocket car for speed records, note the wing profiles - Classic-Gala Schwetzingen 2018

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Unknown racing car, probably with propeller drive. The wing seems to have a rather positive angle of attack

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Air brake on the Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR, intended for Le Mans in 1955

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ford P68 Spider 1969 with double wing - desperate act on the unsuccessful two-seater

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Ford F3L P68 (1968) - Late '68 version with huge rear wing

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Downforce at the front, airbrake at the rear...

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Caravans in tight downforce trim - making the Nürburgring trip with a trailer a success

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Eifelland - The shattered F1 dream - Shortly after the takeover by Meeth Fensterbau, both logos are still stuck on the rear wing

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Pontiac Firebird (1994) - rear view with original wing unit

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

BMW 2000 Bergspyder (1968) - Dieter Quester in the fast BMW Bergspyider with rear wing at the 1968 Gaisbergrennen

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Mitter in the BMW F2 racing car with adventurous wing system at the Eifel race at the Nürburgring in 1969

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

McLaren M7C 01 (1969) - with impressive wing mechanism - Rétromobile Paris 2019

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Bellasi F1 (1969/1970) - powerful rear wing

You have only

1 out of 46

images seen in high resolution

Summary

As engine performance increased, racing car designers pondered new ways to keep the ever faster cars on the ground and on track. In 1966, the Chaparral showed that you could generate a lot of downforce with a large wing, but the Swiss Michael May had already done pioneering work ten years earlier. Towards the end of the sixties, the wings became bigger and higher, which led to considerable problems. In this episode of "Technology in Conversation", the two buddies Albert and Exbert discuss the evolution of the wing in the automobile.

Estimated reading time: 11min

Preview (beginning of the article)

Buddies Albert and Exbert meet up again. Soon the subject turns to "wings" ... Albert: Robert wanted to outdo me again with his technical knowledge, but this time I showed him. Exbert: What was it about? A: About wings on racing cars. E: And what exactly? A: He claimed that Lotus had put the first wing for downforce on the car. E: That's nonsense, of course. A: Sure, it was Ferrari. E: You mean in the French Rouen Grand Prix in the rain? A: Exactly, with Jacky Ickx, the rain whisperer. E: Rain whisperer, you said that beautifully. But that's wrong about the first wing.

Welcome to Zwischengas!