Tag: Technical Updates

Technical updates: Mexico City Grand Prix

Cooling requirements are the main focus for a number of teams due to the altitude at the Mexico City Grand Prix. The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is situated over 7,200 feet above sea level and the air density creates a challenge when it comes to …

Cooling requirements are the main focus for a number of teams due to the altitude at the Mexico City Grand Prix.

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is situated over 7,200 feet above sea level and the air density creates a challenge when it comes to cooling as well as downforce. As such, there are eight teams who have made minor changes to adapt their cars to the environment this weekend.

Red Bull has enlarged the frontal cooling louvers on the right-hand side of its car, while Ferrari has done the same on both sides extending further back along its engine cover. Alpine has made a similar change with the mid louvers being enlarged and have added to that with a bigger exit for the Coke section of the engine cover at the rear of the car.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]

At McLaren there is a revised engine cover geometry as well as a larger front brake duct scoop to help more airflow into the front brake ducts for cooling purposes. A similar pair of new parts are available at Haas too, although the there the engine cover sees additional louvers added to the updated bodywork that was brought to the United States Grand Prix as part of a wider package last weekend.

AlphaTauri also has bigger front brake ducts as well as increasing the size of the central engine cover exit to get more airflow through the central radiator, while Williams joins the list of cars with a bigger engine cover available as well as additional cooling louvers if required based on how power unit and gearbox fluid temperatures are during practice.

The only performance update that has been submitted is at Alfa Romeo, where a new rear brake duct has been introduced that “works in conjunction with the floor introduced in Austin to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the car and generate downforce.”

Technical updates: United States Grand Prix

Haas, AlphaTauri, Aston Martin and Mercedes all have notable upgrade packages at the United States Grand Prix despite the sprint weekend format. There’s only one practice session for all teams to analyze any new parts, but that hasn’t stopped a …

Haas, AlphaTauri, Aston Martin and Mercedes all have notable upgrade packages at the United States Grand Prix despite the sprint weekend format.

There’s only one practice session for all teams to analyze any new parts, but that hasn’t stopped a whole new car concept being brought by Haas at the start of a tripleheader of race weekends, with the list of updated items consisting of front brake ducts, the floor body, floor edge, sidepod inlets, the engine cover and cooling louvers.

While not as clear visually, AlphaTauri has a similar number of modifications this weekend, with the majority focusing around the floor via a revised floor body, floor edge and floor fences. There’s also a change to the engine cover — with the central bodywork exit tweaks improving cooling — and the rear brake ducts. Perhaps the most notable change from AlphaTauri though relates to the chassis itself, with the team submitting revised surfaces local to the inboard front suspension.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]

Aston Martin broke the curfew overnight as it worked on upgrades that include changes to the floor edge in conjunction with the engine cover, diffuser and beam wing to produce increased loading on the floor as an overall package.

As has been the main focal point for most teams during the season, the floor is the only area Mercedes has modified as it tries to understand the direction it is taking for next season. The floor body has a raised leading edge that improves flow to the rear of the car and increases rear downforce, while that is balanced by changes to the forward floor edge flap that is designed to improve forward floor load.

The only other new part submitted for the USGP is a floor edge modification at Alfa Romeo — a continuation of the major upgrade package it brought to Singapore — while Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Alpine and Williams have no updates this weekend.

Technical updates: 2023 Japanese Grand Prix

McLaren and AlphaTauri continue refining their latest upgrade packages with new additions at the Japanese Grand Prix. Having brought a major update to the last race in Singapore, both teams have introduced further parts at Suzuka, with McLaren …

McLaren and AlphaTauri continue refining their latest upgrade packages with new additions at the Japanese Grand Prix.

Having brought a major update to the last race in Singapore, both teams have introduced further parts at Suzuka, with McLaren bringing a fresh beam wing that is circuit-specific but also modifying its sidepod inlets. Oscar Piastri also receives the full raft of upgrades that were only on Lando Norris’ car last weekend.

For AlphaTauri there are changes to the rear wing endplates as well as the rear view mirror, with the latter focused on drag reduction.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]

There are no new parts at Red Bull but Ferrari looks to continue its recent good form with a fresh change to its floor, featuring a complete revision of the topology designed to provide an efficiency increase.

Mercedes has a small rear wing endplate addition for added downforce, while Aston Martin has a smaller front brake duct inlet due to the cooling requirements of Suzuka, and Williams has reduced the height of its innermost floor fences to change both local downforce and airflow rearward of that point.

Alpine, Alfa Romeo and Haas also do not have any new parts submitted in Japan.

Technical updates: 2023 Singapore Grand Prix

McLaren, AlphaTauri and Alfa Romeo all have significant upgrades as most teams bring new parts for the start of Formula 1’s flyway races in Singapore. As explained by Lando Norris on Thursday, McLaren has brought a raft of upgrades that are the …

McLaren, AlphaTauri and Alfa Romeo all have significant upgrades as most teams bring new parts for the start of Formula 1’s flyway races in Singapore.

As explained by Lando Norris on Thursday, McLaren has brought a raft of upgrades that are the biggest set of developments since it made a major step forward in Austria earlier this year. The new parts target the car’s performance in low-speed corners, and relate to the front wing endplates, sidepods and engine cover, a fully revised floor, Halo, rear brake ducts, rear suspension, rear wing endplates and beam wing.

Only Norris will run all the new parts in Singapore, with Oscar Piastri having to wait until Suzuka to get the package on his car.

In total, McLaren has nine areas it has updated, one more than AlphaTauri where there is a tweak to the central floor section, floor edge, diffuser, sidepod inlets, engine cover, rear suspension, rear brake drums and rear view mirrors.

Alfa Romeo has a new floor as well as front wing, diffuser and rear brake ducts, while Alpine also has multiple updates with the sidepod inlet, cooling louvres and beam wing all revised for this weekend.

At Red Bull there is a change to the floor edge and rear wing endplates, while Ferrari has reprofiled its front wing, and Mercedes has updated front brake ducts for cooling purposes.

Aston Martin lists a change to the lower deflector on the rear corner of the car as its only development, with Williams introducing a larger gurney flap for its front wing.

Only Haas has no updates submitted in Singapore, as it works towards a major change of concept to be introduced in Austin in three races’ time.

Technical updates: 2023 Italian Grand Prix

Nine of the 10 Formula 1 teams have brought new parts to the Italian Grand Prix, with a number of specific adaptations for Monza’s unique characteristics. The high-speed circuit requires a low-downforce setup, and as such the majority of teams have …

Nine of the 10 Formula 1 teams have brought new parts to the Italian Grand Prix, with a number of specific adaptations for Monza’s unique characteristics.

The high-speed circuit requires a low-downforce setup, and as such the majority of teams have upgrades that are solely for those requirements. The biggest number of submissions is from McLaren, with a new front brake duct scoop a performance update while the front wing, rear wing and rear brake duct winglets are all circuit specific for the drag range.

Red Bull’s front and rear wings are also circuit specific, while Ferrari lists its rear wing as a performance update alongside the Monza setup front wing. Mercedes has a new rear wing and beam wing configuration for low drag, and Alpine similarly has brought only a beam wing.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]

Alongside its Monza rear wing, Alfa Romeo has an updated front suspension geometry that it counts as a performance update, while AlphaTauri has a front wing and beam wing as well as having removed elements from the rear brake duct and rear view mirrors to reduce drag.

Aston Martin has a front wing and Williams a rear wing that are each circuit specific with reduced drag. Haas is the only team that doesn’t have any new parts, running its Baku-spec wings in Italy.

Technical updates: 2023 Dutch Grand Prix

Aston Martin has brought the most significant update to the Dutch Grand Prix, with floor and diffuser changes as it targets second place in the constructors’ championship. Starting the season as the second-quickest team behind Red Bull, Aston had …

Aston Martin has brought the most significant update to the Dutch Grand Prix, with floor and diffuser changes as it targets second place in the constructors’ championship.

Starting the season as the second-quickest team behind Red Bull, Aston had faded slightly prior to the summer break and has failed to score a podium in the past four races. But at Zandvoort it is introducing a new floor –comprising the floor body, floor fences and floor edge — aimed at increasing overall downforce. That update is also coupled with a new diffuser.

Red Bull has a new beam wing this weekend as its only upgrade, but Mercedes continues its own push with tweaks to the floor edge, sidepod inlet — specifically the mirror stays to improve airflow and performance of the rear wing — and beam wing.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]

Only two other teams have performance upgrades, with Haas aiming to solve its race pace woes with some new parts. That includes a new front wing and nose assembly, while there is a circuit-specific change to the rear brake ducts for cooling purposes.

At AlphaTauri there are new rear wing endplates which increases efficiency, while McLaren has a rear wing and beam wing tweak that is specific to the demands of Zandvoort.

There are no new parts listed for Ferrari, Alpine, Alfa Romeo or Williams.

Technical updates: 2023 Belgian Grand Prix

Mercedes has the biggest upgrade at the Belgian Grand Prix as many teams have made circuit-specific changes ahead of the summer break. The race at Spa-Francorchamps will be the final one before a mandatory two-week shutdown of team factories, with …

Mercedes has the biggest upgrade at the Belgian Grand Prix as many teams have made circuit-specific changes ahead of the summer break.

The race at Spa-Francorchamps will be the final one before a mandatory two-week shutdown of team factories, with racing resuming at Zandvoort at the end of August. Although it’s a sprint weekend and there are wet conditions, Mercedes has brought new parts that include an updated floor, as well as a rear wing that results in less drag and changes to the engine cover. There’s also a reprofiling of the sidepod inlets for reliability reasons.

Chris Medland photo

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]

Red Bull has tightened some of the packaging at the rear of the car for cooling purposes given the low temperatures expected at Spa, while Ferrari has a new rear wing like Mercedes that is better suited to lower-downforce tracks.

While Alpine has a track-specific front wing — along with Williams — it also has brought an updated floor in search of more performance, in a similar development to Aston Martin. For Mike Krack’s team, as well as the floor there are rear wing and beam wing tweaks just for the Spa layout.

McLaren and Alfa Romeo have made circuit-specific changes to the rear wing and beam wing — while Alfa has also done so to its front wing — but the AlphaTauri rear wing is a performance update.

Haas is the only team with no new developments listed.

F1 technical updates – 2023 Hungarian GP

Red Bull Racing and sister team AlphaTauri headline the schedule of upgrades for the Hungarian Grand Prix, with both making major aerodynamic revisions in Budapest. Red Bull Racing has been dealing with a 10 percent reduction in development time …

Red Bull Racing and sister team AlphaTauri headline the schedule of upgrades for the Hungarian Grand Prix, with both making major aerodynamic revisions in Budapest.

Red Bull Racing has been dealing with a 10 percent reduction in development time owing to its penalty for breaching the 2021 cost cap and has thus far refrained from bringing major upgrades to the RB19 this season. The team has listed five major parts to the upgrade package applied at the Hungaroring, though four of those components have reliability listed as their primary purpose.

The car has enlarged front and rear brake ducts that will help deal with the higher braking energy generated around the twisty Budapest circuit, The rear duct exits will also add local load.

The sidepod air inlets have been reprofiled in a way that will boost radiator cooling efficiency but will also likely boost aerodynamic efficiency. The engine cover has also been revised in sympathy with the wider intakes.

A new floor is the only component listed as being primarily driven by performance considerations. Unfortunately for the team, Sergio Perez’s FP1 crash allowed photographers to snap some photos of the floor body just minutes after making its on-track debut.

The crash damage appeared focused on the left-front corner of the car, potentially damaging one of the Mexican’s new brake ducts as well as parts of the floor.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]

AlphaTauri has brought a new front and rear wing, a new nose and a new floor body, all of which are targeted at improving aerodynamic efficiency by producing more downforce for less drag.

The Italian team brought a large update package to the British Grand Prix, which technical director Jody Egginton said produced downforce largely in line with expectations despite a lukewarm response from his drivers.

The team will be hoping its latest set of new parts will improve the car’s balance, particularly rear stability on corner entry.

Mercedes has made changes to its front wing endplates and front suspension to boost downforce, while a new rear wing has been applied as a circuit-specific part.

Ferrari and Alpine have both brought Hungary-specific front wings to tackle the low-speed track and its high downforce demands.

Aston Martin has designed a new engine cover it expects to improve cooling efficiency. Heat management tends to be critical at the typically warm Hungaroring, where the lack of long straights and the track’s bowl-like topography minimize cooling opportunities.

Haas has brought a new floor with modified outboard components to improve flow efficiency.

F1 technical updates – 2023 British Grand Prix

AlphaTauri has the biggest upgrade at the British Grand Prix but there are significant developments from both Mercedes and McLaren at Silverstone. The AlphaTauri update is extensive, with a new floor – highlighted by specific changes to the floor …

AlphaTauri has the biggest upgrade at the British Grand Prix but there are significant developments from both Mercedes and McLaren at Silverstone.

The AlphaTauri update is extensive, with a new floor — highlighted by specific changes to the floor body, floor fences and floor edge — as well as diffuser, engine cover bodywork, rear suspension, rear wing and beam wing developments.

Close behind in terms of number of upgrades is Alfa Romeo, with five areas — the floor body, floor fences, diffuser, rear corner and rear suspension — having been adapted in order to improve the aerodynamic flow of the car.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]

Mercedes has brought a new front wing to try and close the gap to Red Bull, with the redesign intended to improve the airflow to the bodywork and the floor. There’s a similar update at McLaren after major developments in Austria, with a new front wing and nose alongside rear brake duct and rear suspension changes. Those new parts are expected to run on Lando Norris’ car, with Oscar Piastri receiving the update that Norris had in Austria last week.

Haas is another team with multiple developments at Silverstone, introducing an updated front suspension and front brake duct, while a new beam wing has also been installed.

Of the remaining minor updates, Red Bull has a circuit-specific cooling solution for its front brake ducts and Alpine has a revised front wing. Aston Martin’s front wing changes are specific to Silverstone — as is an updated rear brake duct — while Williams has a slightly modified front wing and circuit-specific rear wing setup.

F1 technical updates: 2023 Austrian Grand Prix

Ferrari and McLaren both have significant updates at the Austrian Grand Prix despite it being a sprint weekend. The teams with new parts will only have one practice session on Friday to analyze them before needing to make decisions on setup and …

Ferrari and McLaren both have significant updates at the Austrian Grand Prix despite it being a sprint weekend.

The teams with new parts will only have one practice session on Friday to analyze them before needing to make decisions on setup and their effectiveness. At Ferrari there is an entirely new front wing that features a redesign of all elements, as well as changes to the front floor fences, floor edge, mid floor and diffuser sidewall. Ferrari says that leads to the sidepod undercut being re-designed to suit, with the target of improved car efficiency.

McLaren’s update is more significant but only available on Lando Norris’ car, with the British driver receiving a new sidepod inlet, halo, fully revised floor, reshaped sidepod and engine cover and updated cooling louvers. The floor is designed to provide a clear downforce gain, while the other items improve the airflow conditioning to the floor itself.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]

AlphaTauri has updated its rear wing and associated beam wing, as well as making circuit-specific changes to the cooling louvers, and Williams has made further tweaks to the edge of the updated floor it brought to Canada as well as a front brake duct development.

Red Bull has introduced a slight rear suspension tweak, while Haas has a more reliable pitot tube to gather aerodynamic data with.