The latest photos of the Mercedes AMG W03 taken in Sepang, Malaysia prove that Ross Brawn's F1 machine is fitted with a device designed to stall the front wings when the DRS is activated by the driver.
Yellow line shows how air travels from the back end to the front end of the Mercedes. (Photomontage: Auto123.com)
This clever device uses two openings of the DRS flap on the rear wing to open a duct that sends high pressure air to the front wings.
Rear wing of the Mercedes AMG W03. (Photo: WRI2)
When the Drag Reduction System flap closed on the rear wing, the front and rear wings operate as usual, with no blown effects being used. Both wings create the usual levels of downforce.
But when the driver activates the DRS, the flap uncovers a pair of openings on the rear wing lateral endplates. A passageway moulded inside the unusually thick endplates, creates a duct that feeds the system.
The two tubes that emerges from the front of the chassis. (Photo WRI2)
Pressurised air is then channelled to the front end of the car into flexible tubes. These tubes emerge at the front bulkhead. Air passes through the nose cone downwards and exit underneath the flaps.
When DRS is open, the flow of air blows through small slots and stall the front wing to increase top speed.
Antoine L'Estage and his codriver Alan Ockwell of the Yokohama Canada Rally Team won the 2014 edition of the Rallye Defi by winning every stage of the rally.