CFD Analysis of Adjustable Rear Wing Effects on Aerodynamic Performance of F1 Race Car

The aim of this study is to examine the aerodynamic characteristics of a 2018 Formula 1 car rear wing, which is equipped with a Drag Reduction System (DRS), by applying a two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach, particularly when the DRS is partially activated. The study applied a commercial CFD code, ANSYS Fluent, based on a k-omega Shear Stress Transport (SST) turbulence closure model, to solve the flow problem. The CFD code was applied to a 2018 Formula 1 car rear wing to solve the aerodynamic problem for different DRS activation ratios, i.e., 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%, at three different free-stream velocities, i.e., 50 m/s, 70 m/s, and 90 m/s. The results obtained in this study indicated that although aerodynamic forces are proportional to the square of the free-stream velocity, lift and drag coefficients remain almost constant for a wide range of free-stream velocities. The results reveal a "sweet spot" where a 25% opening of the DRS resulted in a 50% reduction in drag and a 20-22% increase in downforce compared to a fully closed DRS position due to a "slot effect" delaying the flow separation. The results obtained in this study revealed that the highest opening of the DRS, i.e., 100% DRS, resulted in a 75% reduction in drag but caused a significant reduction in downforce.