Shark fins and the T-Wing in Ross Brawn's viewfinder

The 2017 single-seaters, responding this year to brand new technical regulations, offered observers of the first winter tests in Barcelona multiple innovations, a consequence of new possibilities in aerodynamics.

Among them, the return of “shark fins” to the engine hood caused a lot of talk in the Catalan paddock. Ross Brawn, former technical director of the Team Ferrari and new Motor Sports director of Liberty Media, gave his opinion on this element.

“As always with new regulations, there are small things to review, Brawn comments on the F1 website. We have the unpopular shark fin and I think over time we need to answer these questions.

Part of the goal of the new rules was to produce more visually appealing cars, so we don't want to spoil that with peripheral additions that take away from that, but that's to be expected with new regulations. »

The same pattern is reproduced when discussing the device called T-Wing, installed between the engine cover and the rear wing of single-seaters, notably seen at Mercedes. “These are the consequences of the new regulations and they are not intended. So I think any unintended consequences will need to be ironed out to make things a little cleaner. »