Aerodynamic development of front wing for F1 2026 Regulations

Context

For the completion of my 2024-2025 academic year at Oxford Brookes University, I chose to process the aerodynamic development of the F1 2026 front wing. Under the supervision of Pr. Daniel Bell and with Pr. Willem Toet as advisor, I undertook the design and numerical simulation to understand the flow structure around the front wing and its interaction with the front wheel and the floor.

Challenges

Regulations: The 2026 F1 regulations introduced significant changes to car design, with frequent updates throughout the year, creating a need for adaptable and flexible designs.
Active aerodynamics: The introduction of active aerodynamic elements presented new performance variables that required careful assessment.
Workload: The project encompassed design, surfacing, CFD pre-processing, simulations, and post-processing analysis, progressing to the next development stage once sufficient results were obtained.
Design software: Switching from Solidworks to NX allowed the use of software commonly employed by Formula One teams, requiring rapid adaptation to a new design environment.

Methodology

Aero-surface design - surfacing

Aerodynamic surfaces require rapid production and high adaptability to geometric changes to support an efficient iterative design process. Using three-dimensional sketches with guide curves, projections, and intersection functions provided both versatility and reliability in the workflow.

Once an optimized profile shape was established, the front wing geometry was defined using parametric macro-surfaces, enabling detailed CAD development of smaller flow-management features. Mathematical expressions were employed to ensure the design remained compliant with regulations.

Numerical simulation

Numerical evaluation where conducted on STAR-CMM+ where the initial phase was a convergence study to ensure proper balance between accuracy and computational cost resulting in a convergence around 25-30 millions cells by increasing the mesh density around the small apertures and wings while maintaining the rest of the chassis coarse due to minimal detailed CAD.

Finally, the continuum used k-omega SST segregated flow for more accurate force prediction and residuals convergence compared to k-epsilon turbulent model in a half domain providing a blockage lower than 1%.

Outcomes

The study compared multiple design iterations and highlighted how the 2026 regulations, including reduced profile span and the introduction of Straight Line Mode (SLM), influence aerodynamic performance. Key findings showed that the profiles provide the majority of the wing’s downforce, with the main plane producing highly efficient load and the secondary flap offering the lowest efficiency. Vortex structures generated by the profiles, endplate assembly, strakes, and diveplane play an essential role in managing the front wheel wake, reducing drag, and improving downstream flow quality. SLM was found to reduce both drag and downforce while altering the pressure recovery and vortex behaviour around the front wheel and brake duct.

Overall, the front wing’s primary role is to generate downforce for cornering stability while creating well-controlled vortices that reduce wheel drag and improve floor and cooling performance. Analysis of the flap contributions indicates that these elements can be used as strategic drag sources that SLM can effectively neutralise at high speed, while still contributing as efficient aerodynamic devices under braking.

Although the front wing concept developed in this project shows strong performance potential, further work is required to make it race-ready. Future steps include setting track-specific performance targets, exploring new geometries, refining the chassis integration, assessing sensitivity to debris and contamination, and performing structural validation and manufacturability optimisation. Correlation with wind-tunnel and on-track data will ultimately be essential to evolve the design into a fully robust and competitive race component.