Bottom post of the previous page:
Lotus certainly used adjustable high wings, not sure about low.
I found some numbers by Peter Wright which refer to downforce in pounds at 150mph through the years. That mentions in 1968 the number to be 1000 lbs.PTRACER wrote:
And while on the subject of aerodynamics, when they switched from high to low wings in 1969, did it reduce the downforce by much?
The numbers did not show 1969 when the low wings replaced them, but the downforce numbers were still lower that that in 1976. The early high wings had little shape to them, being fairly plank-like. As wings developed they took on a more contoured aeroplane wing like shape which aided downforce.
Those (Peter Wright) numbers by year are:
1968: 1000lbs@150mph - high wings
1976: 800lbs@150mph
1978: 2000lbs@150mph
1980: 3000lbs@150mph
1981: 2300lbs@150mph - skirts banned
1982: 2500lbs@150mph
1983: 2000lbs@150mph - flat bottom
1986: 2500lbs@150mph
1992: 3500lbs@150mph - peak downforce
1995: 1800lbs@150mph - stepped floor, smaller wings
2000: 2600lbs@150mph
The peak downforce year of 1992 was of course less about wings as succh and more about the car shape and in particular suspension control.... remember 1992 was the year of active suspensionin its ultimate form before being banned. After 1992 active suspension was banned and I believe wing sizes also reduced in size and heights were governed front and rear, ... and general regulations floors became more controlling.
In effect early wings pushed the car to the ground whereas as later on as knowledge and wind tunnel / CFD se increased, floors and tunnels etc became the tools of downforce.... by then the wing / floor and basic ground effect principles sucked the car to the ground rather than pushing it to the ground.effect .
