What is Wing?
A shaped airfoil mounted in clean air that generates downforce, pressing the car onto the road at the cost of added drag.
A wing is an aerodynamic device that works like an upside-down aircraft wing. Air passes over and under its shaped profile, and the pressure difference generates downforce that pushes the car into the road. More downforce means more mechanical grip, which is why race cars run large wings.
To work properly a wing needs clean, undisturbed air, which is why wings are mounted up and away from the bodywork on stalks rather than sitting flush like a spoiler. The trade-off is unavoidable: any wing that generates meaningful downforce also generates drag, so it costs straight-line speed and efficiency.
On road cars a wing only earns its keep at speeds higher than most drivers ever reach, so a large rear wing on a street build is usually a styling decision rather than a performance one.
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Wing on the blog
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