downforce

thumb|250px|right|Three different styles of front wings from three different Formula One eras, all designed to produce downforce at the front end of the respective race cars. Top to bottom: [[Ferrari 312T4 (1979), Lotus 79 (1978), McLaren MP4/11 (1996)]]

Downforce is a downwards lift force created by the aerodynamic features of a vehicle. If the vehicle is a car, the purpose of downforce is to allow the car to travel faster by increasing the vertical force on the tires, thus creating more grip. If the vehicle is a fixed-wing aircraft, the purpose of the downforce on the horizontal stabilizer is to maintain longitudinal stability and allow the pilot to control the aircraft in pitch.