Mercedes W16 wows in Singapore: where could the flexible front wing return?. Mercedes impressed with its flexible front wing in Singapore.

One of the surprises over the past two months has undoubtedly been the flexible front wing that Mercedes introduced during the Singapore Grand Prix. That weekend, in particular, saw the Stuttgart-based team return to victory thanks to George Russell’s performance. But what happened to the flexible wing that generated so much discussion at Marina Bay?

The wing disappeared after Singapore: Mercedes explains its choices

From what we know, the wing did not appear in Austin or Mexico, and unsurprisingly, the W16’s performance returned to pre-upgrade levels. There is a logical explanation for Mexico City: using a wing that bends under aerodynamic load makes little sense on a high-altitude track, where the air is thinner due to reduced atmospheric pressure. But why was it not brought to Texas?

Based on what we understand and the topics we have explored, teams, or rather had a tendency, to use flexible wings more extensively on ‘Stop & Go’ circuits. These tracks allow cars to generate high downforce in slow corners while simultaneously reducing drag on the straights. This explains why the wings were absent in Austin and why it is likely Mercedes could reintroduce them at the Las Vegas Grand Prix.

Brazil presents borderline characteristics for this setup, while in Qatar, the many medium-speed corners likely make the solution less suitable. Therefore, the Grands Prix where flexible wings have the highest probability of reappearing are Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi—tracks with long straights and medium-to-low-speed corners.

Notes, observations, and reflections

Beyond this, it is worth sharing a technical reflection. Why do engineers tend to use flexible wings more on ‘Stop & Go’ tracks rather than circuits like Silverstone? The reason appears to be greater control over the resulting aerodynamic effects. In slower, low-speed corners, aerodynamic resistance is lower, so the wing rises and provides the precise downforce needed to negotiate the turn.

Conversely, on straights, when wing pressure increases, the wing lowers, drag is reduced, and the car’s top speed increases. These effects can be easily replicated in simulators and CFD models, and they can also be verified on track through proper data collection.

However, the author believes—or at least is not entirely convinced otherwise—that there could be benefits in using flexible wings even in high-speed corners (which may be discussed further elsewhere). The primary challenge is that studying wing behavior in fast corners is complex due to the ‘transient’ nature of the situation: multiple variables interact, making it extremely difficult to fully control all factors. At least for the moment, this remains a technical limitation.