It wasn’t long before the exhaust exit flap designed by Ferrari set the tone. In Shanghai a similar solution appears on the Haasequipped with the same transmission as the Scuderia di Maranello, unlike the competition. Precisely for this reason, the idea may not spread further on the grid, while the situation is different for the Macarena wing.
The FTM on the VF-26
Haas is the first team to reproduce the flap behind the Ferrari exhaust, but it could also be the last. The team led by Ayo Komatsu, in fact, uses the same rear end as the Scuderia di Maranello, designed to allow the installation of aerodynamic profiles above the rear impact structure while respecting the limit distance of 60 mm from the differential. The technical department coordinated by Andrea De Zordo chose to seize this opportunity, evidently finding benefits in the solution.
However, Haas avoided faithfully replicating Ferrari’s FTMreinterpreting it in their own way. The flap is not continuous with the diffuser, therefore not representing a virtual extension of its outlet section. On the VF-26 the aerodynamic element is mounted in a slightly more rearward position, immediately behind the exhaust terminal, which in turn presents a difference in comparison with the Ferrari. Haas has redesigned the outlet section, adding a sort of cup in the lower part that helps direct the hot gases upwards.
The Macarena is copyable
If we are unlikely to see any further versions on the grid for the flap behind the exhaust, the same cannot be said for the inverted mobile wing. Since there are no particular regulatory constraints, Ferrari is aware that the competition could soon develop their own version. In the meantime, the priority is to evaluate its effectiveness in China, although Shanghai is not a particularly tough track for energy management.
