While every other team seen on track so far has chosen to mount the nose support pylons on the mainplane, Mercedes have decided to go their own way, positioning them on one of the two flaps. This solution effectively limits active aerodynamics to just the final element of the front wing, representing a deeply different interpretation compared to the rest of the field.
Whenever a new technical regulation cycle begins, it is only natural to witness vastly different interpretations, especially in those areas that define the overall concept of the car. From sidepods to suspension layouts, and now the front wing, teams are exploring contrasting philosophies. The front wing, in particular, has undergone one of the most extensive revisions of this regulatory era, both in terms of design approach and functional role.
The FIA’s objective was to reduce the outwash effect that teams had increasingly exaggerated with front wings up until last season. At the same time, the governing body introduced a major innovation: active aerodynamics on the front-wing flaps. This solution is designed to lower drag on the straights and limit the energy demand placed on the power units.
In this area, beyond a few non-negotiable constraints, the regulations grant teams a certain degree of freedom, both in how the wing itself is interpreted and in the positioning of the actuators that control flap rotation. These can be placed under the nose or integrated via two elements on the mainplane, as seen on the Racing Bulls car.
The dominant trend among most teams has been to allow two distinct elements to rotate—the maximum permitted by the regulations—in order to maximise drag reduction in those sections of the lap where active aerodynamics can be deployed.
However, one team has clearly taken a different route: Mercedes. By observing the W17, it becomes evident that the nose support pylons are attached directly to the second flap (highlighted in blue in the reference images), which in turn significantly limits its ability to move. This choice stands in stark contrast to all other teams seen so far, who have instead connected the nose to the mainplane to allow two flaps to rotate.
On this point, the regulations do not impose particularly strict limitations. The presence of one or two movable elements is left to the discretion of the teams, who may decide which flaps—defined as “primary” or “secondary” depending on their position on the wing—are made active. The main restrictions concern the axis around which the elements must rotate, the maximum number of movable flaps, and the permitted “deflection” from the standard position, which is set at 30 mm for the primary flap and 60 mm for the secondary one.
At the core of Mercedes’ choice appears to be a different interpretation of how to exploit the front-wing elements. The only component capable of rotating would be the final element (shown in yellow in the images), while the second flap also features a different angle of incidence compared to rival solutions. During Monday’s running, the Brackley-based team devoted particular attention to this area, even applying flow-viz wool tufts to analyse airflow behaviour in detail.
This approach, however, inevitably raises a number of questions. Is this a solution intended to remain in place throughout the season, or will there be circuits where Mercedes chooses to revise the wing configuration based on track characteristics and load requirements? In recent years, Silverstone, for example, has become one of the circuits where teams have increasingly moved towards relatively low-downforce setups.
Up until last season, it was common to see teams modify nose length during the year without having to undergo a new crash test, as long as the internal structure remained unchanged and only the external bodywork was altered. In theory, this margin could also allow teams to revisit the positioning of the support pylons, although this is something that will only become clear as the season unfolds.
According to some teams, the configuration of active aerodynamics may vary significantly from circuit to circuit, and it is not guaranteed that all downforce will be “removed” when the wings shift into their low-drag position on the straights.
There is, however, another intriguing detail worth highlighting on the W17’s front wing. Through the positioning of certain components, Mercedes have created a channel in the lower section of the nose that directs airflow towards the underfloor, leading into the T-tray area. It is therefore no surprise that small aerodynamic appendages have appeared in this zone, specifically designed to manage airflow.
In images released during the Silverstone filming day, a portion of the final flap is in fact fixed, while metallic inserts placed right at the end of that section appear to be tasked with guiding the airflow and generating small vortices. These vortices help control the flow in that region, effectively creating a defined aerodynamic channel beneath the nose.
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