There is more to reducing aero drag than frontal area. Drag is created both by frontal area and the vehicles shape (i.e streamlining), this is known as parasitic drag. For race cars or cars with aerofoils (wings, vanes etc) the car also produces ‘induced drag’. Obviously in the case of a modern race car it would be hard to further reduce the frontal area. But induced drag is a focus for aerodynamicists, Formula1 cars for example produce huge vortices from their wings and bargeboards, these produce large amounts of drag and is one reason we see such complex wing endplates and different aerofoil profiles near to the wing tip. |