Downforce

The same principle that allows an airplane to rise off the ground by creating lift from its wings is used in reverse to apply force that presses the race car against the surface of the track.

The creation of downforce by passive devices can be achieved only at the cost of increased aerodynamic drag (or friction), and the optimum setup is almost always a compromise between the two.

The aerodynamic setup for a car can vary considerably between race tracks, depending on the length of the straights and the types of corners.

[citation needed] Detailed pieces of bodywork on top of the car can be added to allow a smooth flow of air to reach the downforce-creating elements (e.g., wings or spoilers, and underbody tunnels).

[citation needed] Other aerodynamic components that can be found on the underside to improve downforce and/or reduce drag, include splitters and vortex generators.

They create downforce that enhances the grip of the front tires, while also optimizing (or minimizing disturbance to) the flow of air to the rest of the car.

Other wings have sprung up in various other places about the car, but these modifications are usually only used at circuits where downforce is most sought, particularly the twisty Hungary and Monaco racetracks.

The 1995 McLaren Mercedes MP4/10 was one of the first cars to feature a "midwing", using a loophole in the regulations to mount a wing on top of the engine cover.

These midwings are not to be confused either with the roll-hoop mounted cameras which each car carries as standard in all races, or with the bull-horn shaped flow controllers first used by McLaren and since by BMW Sauber, whose primary function is to smooth and redirect the airflow in order to make the rear wing more effective rather than to generate downforce themselves.