What about front wings?

[Super Tourer]

I was having a gander at some F1 footage from 1982 (anorak !).

Yes this was the ground effect era, but interestingly the Mclaren MP4 and Williams FW08 and maybe the Brabham BT(whatever- Piquet was driving, were all minus front wings - just a nosecone.

Maybe if the diffusers, which create a type of ground effect, were left but front wing sizes drastically reduced - this may improve the racing and reduce the aero reliance.

[Peter Mallett]

I think it was the BT49.

Anyway. The only way they could run like that was by using the side pods and undertray as full length aerodynamic aids. To keep the rear diffuser would defeat the object.

The old Ground effect cars had some peculiar attributes. One of the worst was "porpoising" which happened on bumpy circuits or when the aerodynamics weren't set up properly. It tended to make the cars undriveable. That's why they put the front wings back.