Renault confirms F-duct for Spa

Date published : 19 Aug 2010 - 11:00:24

Renault has given the official green light for its F-duct to be introduced at next week's Belgian Grand Prix, AUTOSPORT has learned, with the team having hit its development targets with the concept. The Enstone-based outfit has been working on the blown-wing design for several months, and in July said it hoped to have it ready for the high-speed events at Spa and Monza - where it should provide a good advantage on the long straights. Although the team's efforts are currently being interrupted by its mandatory two-week summer factory shutdown, which ends next Monday, the outfit has already seen enough positive feedback from the F-duct in the wind-tunnel to decide to press it into action for Belgium. It is understood that Renault will head to Spa with the intention of racing the F-duct at its first event, rather than simply introducing it as a toe-in-the-water exercise for Friday practice. However, those plans could change if the early data from Friday running shows that the F-duct has not produced the step forward the team hopes. McLaren was the first team to introduce the F-duct this season, and a number of its rivals including Ferrari, Red Bull Racing, Williams, Force India and Mercedes GP, have introduced their own versions over the course of the campaign. Renault's Robert Kubica said at the Hungarian Grand Prix that he had no doubts about the importance of the F-duct. When asked which of technical innovations seens in 2010 was the most important, he said: "If it is working properly, it's the F-duct. The longer straights you have, the more of an advantage you have." As well as using the F-duct for a pure top speed advantage, teams can also utilise the concept to help them run with more downforce for the corners because the knock-on increase in drag is eradicated on the straights by the stalling of the rear wing.