F1 | Racing Bulls, Haas and Audi adopt Alpine-inspired Monaco wing solution. F1 | Alpine’s rear wing innovation becomes the latest Monaco aerodynamic craze.

Alpine’s mini-flap idea catches on with Racing Bulls, Haas and Audi: perfect for Monaco

Monte Carlo is a unique challenge on the Formula 1 calendar. The streets of the Principality host the shortest circuit of the season and feature the lowest average speed of any track on the schedule. Generating aerodynamic downforce is therefore essential to maximize grip through a layout lined with manhole covers, curbs and unforgiving guardrails.

Racing Bulls has introduced on its VCARB 03 a solution that first attracted considerable attention on the Alpine A526 during the Japanese Grand Prix. At Suzuka, an intriguing additional micro-flap appeared on the central actuator of the rear wing’s active aerodynamic system. The concept stemmed from an extension of the carbon-fibre cover, incorporating a small aerodynamic profile protruding from the trailing edge of the final wing element.

It was a particularly clever way of generating additional local downforce without paying a significant penalty in aerodynamic drag.

The idea developed at Enstone clearly impressed the engineers in Faenza. The Racing Bulls car, developed under the direction of Dan Fallows and Tim Goss, features a solution very similar to the one seen on the Alpine A526. On the extension of the mechanism that controls the movement of the second flap, the team has added an elongated carbon-fibre support that carries a small vertical aerodynamic element, complete with a miniature nolder on its trailing edge.

Haas has taken a slightly different approach on the VF-26. The American team chose to extend the carbon-fibre cover before effectively carving the flap section between the two walls of the supporting structure.

Audi, meanwhile, has pushed the concept even further. The German manufacturer removed the mechanisms normally required to operate the flaps and instead used the support structure as a mini single-pylon mount for the vertical aerodynamic element.

This is a more sophisticated interpretation of the concept, featuring an airflow slot between the two elements as well as a nolder on the upper trailing edge. The design is intended to maximize aerodynamic efficiency while extracting as much downforce as possible from a very small area of the rear wing assembly.

The concept takes advantage of a loophole in the regulations that was originally identified by Ferrari when the Scuderia introduced its reverse wing concept. In that case, the protruding element extending beyond the trailing edge was integrated with the movable flap.

Ferrari, unsurprisingly, has also reintroduced the concept for the Monaco Grand Prix, where every available source of downforce can make a crucial difference around the narrow and demanding streets of Monte Carlo.