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

In addition to new design regulation to comply, the 2026 regulations introduced active aerodynamics on the front wing introducing new performance unknown in terms of research.

An extra challenge was the work load compared to the time of work. Indeed, this project involved design, surfacing, CFD pre-processing, simulations and post-processing analysis which led to move on the next step of development when sufficient results where acquired.

Methodology

Aero-surface Design

Aerodynamic surfaces need fast production and high adaptability to geometry change to favour efficient iteration process. To this matter, the usage of three-dimensional curves, projections and intersection curves favoured design versatility and reliability.

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 convergency around 20 millions cells by increasing the mesh density around the small apertures and wings while maintaining the rest of the chassis coarse due to minimal detail 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 symmetrical domain providing a blockage lower than 1% and a 

Outcomes