Ferrari and Aston Martin have brought the most significant updates ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix. Delaying the introduction of certain parts from the the cancelled race in Imola, Ferrari has brought a new floor and sidepod solution that work …
Ferrari and Aston Martin have brought the most significant updates ahead of the Spanish Grand Prix.
Delaying the introduction of certain parts from the the cancelled race in Imola, Ferrari has brought a new floor and sidepod solution that work together with the aim of improving efficiency and overall load. There’s also an updated rear wing design that is circuit-specific.
Aston Martin has the largest list of upgrades to test on Friday, with a new front wing — including endplate changes — and associated nose tweaks, as well as an updated rear wing endplate and beam wing.
New floor edge for the Red Bull RB19 in Barcelona. Mark Sutton/Motorsport ImagesRear of the new floor edge for the Red Bull RB19 in Barcelona. Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Red Bull brings a new floor edge and diffuser to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, while Mercedes has removed a mirror vane on its sidepod inlet as well as a diffuser update.
McLaren has a minor change to its front brake ducts, while AlphaTauri has a new rear wing and rear wing endplate design, and Williams has circuit-specific changes to its front wing and engine cover cooling layout.
Alpine, Alfa Romeo and Haas have not submitted any new parts to the FIA to run this weekend in Spain, but all teams will have two sets of Pirelli’s new slick tire compound — set to be introduced at Silverstone — to test on Friday.
Mercedes’ new upgrade package headlines a number of significant developments introduced by the entire grid at the Monaco Grand Prix. Imola’s cancellation delayed the new parts for all teams until this weekend, and Mercedes is finally running its …
Mercedes’ new upgrade package headlines a number of significant developments introduced by the entire grid at the Monaco Grand Prix.
Imola’s cancellation delayed the new parts for all teams until this weekend, and Mercedes is finally running its long-awaited package that includes a new front suspension, floor fences, sidepods, engine cover, rear wing and winglets on the rear corner of the car.
The sidepods are the most obvious update as Mercedes opts for a more conventional layout compared to its previous design, saying it is intended to “improve flow to the floor edge, which results in more floor load and also improved flow to the rear corner.” The suspension changes similarly are designed to improve the airflow to the sidepods themselves and rest of the car.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]
Red Bull has made minor changes, with a circuit-specific rear wing that lets the team run maximum downforce, and a wishbone shroud tweak that allows the required steering lock in Monaco. Ferrari has a similar rear wing update to Red Bull, as well as adaptations to its rear brake ducts, brake cooling inlets and suspension fairings.
Significant upgrades for Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin AMR23 at Monaco. Andy Hone/Motorsport Images
Aston Martin has a more significant update, with front and rear suspension and front corner changes to improve overall load, while there is a new rear brake duct specific to Monaco and high-downforce rear wing too.
While McLaren has tweaked its floor fences and rear corner for performance — also adding a larger front brake scoop for cooling purposes and a high-downforce rear wing — Alpine has brought further developments including front suspension fairings, a wider sidepod with deeper gulley and an adapted floor edge alongside its rear wing changes.
The biggest number of updates are seen at AlphaTauri with nine areas — including a new floor, diffuser, sidepods, engine cover, front suspension and rear wing – just ahead of the eight new parts introduced by Alfa Romeo. The Sauber-run team has a new floor, engine cover, rear suspension and rear brake ducts for performance, as well as circuit-specific cooling and rear wing changes.
All 10 teams have new parts, with Haas bringing a new front wing and front suspension geometry while Williams is introducing front suspension changes alongside circuit-specific front brake ducts and rear wing.
A new Ferrari floor is the standout development amid the few updates brought by teams to the Miami Grand Prix. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur had already confirmed the Scuderia’s development plan would kick in from this weekend’s race in …
A new Ferrari floor is the standout development amid the few updates brought by teams to the Miami Grand Prix.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur had already confirmed the Scuderia’s development plan would kick in from this weekend’s race in Florida and the team has brought a new floor that focuses on the front-to-mid sections of the car and the diffuser. Ferrari says the new floor is intended to reduce losses in those areas, improving aerodynamic performance and car efficiency.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]
Of the front-running teams, only Aston Martin has also brought anything new compared to Baku, although its updated cooling louvers are circuit-specific to counter the high temperatures in Miami.
There’s also a new floor at Haas as one of the other major updates, with the team aiming to control the pressure distribution better, something it says will increase aerodynamic efficiency at all speeds.
Haas F1 Team personnel at work in the garage ahead of the Miami GP weekend. Alexander Trienitz/Motorsport Images
AlphaTauri has two changes to its car this weekend, with an upgrade to the front wing creating more local load generated by adaptations to the outside edge of the tip as well as the inboard section. There is also an addition of a wing element underneath the mirror assembly ahead of the sidepod, helping to direct higher-energy airflow to the rear of the car to increase downforce.
The only other new part submitted by teams is at Alfa Romeo, where a tweak that allows the team to run its beam wing without an additional flap has been developed to offer up different drag solutions specific to the circuit in Miami.
Alpine has brought a number of development pieces to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, though it’s unclear how many of the new parts may have been damaged in Pierre Gasly’s fiery stoppage during practice. The Alpine A523 is sporting an upgrade package …
Alpine has brought a number of development pieces to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, though it’s unclear how many of the new parts may have been damaged in Pierre Gasly’s fiery stoppage during practice.
The Alpine A523 is sporting an upgrade package comprising a new floor as well as new front and rear suspension that the team hopes will haul it closer to Ferrari, Mercedes and Aston Martin. It’s also equipped with circuit-specific low-drag front and rear wings designed to tackle the high-speed Baku straights.
Speaking before the practice hour, Alpine technical director Matt Harman said the floor represented a significant step forward in the team’s thinking about its aerodynamic concept.
“It’s a little bit of a departure in some areas,” he said. “It’s pretty much across the whole floor, really. There’s some redistribution of geometry you won’t be able to see — unless the car’s upside down — which is quite important also.
“It’s quite a different pressure distribution for the floor. It’s pretty extensive. It’s not a single part in a modular floor, it’s the whole floor.
“It’s just pure performance. It’s just total load we’re putting on the car.”
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]
The team was ambitious to bring a significant update given the single hour available for practice, and its worst fears must have been realized when Gasly’s car caught fire and stopped after only seven laps. Teammate Esteban Ocon was held in his garage after eight laps as a precaution while the team identified the cause of the issue, which early indications suggested was a hydraulic leak.
Oscar Piastri’s revised McLaren MCL60. Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Much focus is also on McLaren’s upgrade this weekend, with the team saying the car presented in Baku is the one it had hoped to start the season with.
It’s listed only new floor geometry that “significantly alters local suction distribution” as a performance update, although changes to the rear wing and beam wing have also been made specifically for Azerbaijan’s low-downforce demands.
McLaren principal Andrea Stella has said a B-spec upgrade is due before the August break and another significant round of upgrades is scheduled for the autumn.
Subtle changes for Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes F1 W14. Mark Sutton/Motorsport Images
Among the front-runners, Mercedes has been the most active in updating its car, bringing a “subtle” new rear wing endplate, lower deflector behind the rear axle and front suspension as well a circuit-specific change to the front brake ducts to help with cooling.
Red Bull has brought the most upgrades of the top four teams to the Australian Grand Prix as the early championship leader looks to improve the performance of its front wing. While there are no new parts submitted from Aston Martin or Ferrari, Red …
Red Bull has brought the most upgrades of the top four teams to the Australian Grand Prix as the early championship leader looks to improve the performance of its front wing.
While there are no new parts submitted from Aston Martin or Ferrari, Red Bull has updated its front wing endplates as well as the elements on the front wing, with the two developments going hand-in-hand with the intention of increasing aerodynamic load. There’s also a tweak to the bodywork that wraps around the rear tire to try and improve cooling options in that area.
Of the top four teams, only Mercedes has any car change listed by the FIA, with vanes added to the underside of the floor edge to improve flow to the rear of the floor and the diffuser.
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1388]
Battening down the hatches on the McLaren MCL60. Glenn Dunbar/Motorsport Images
There are further changes for the midfield teams, with Alpine updating its Halo fairing, while McLaren has modified the floor fences to improve performance from the diffuser, while also bringing a tighter engine cover to increase efficiency based on the cool temperatures in the weather forecast.
Alfa Romeo has brought a new front wing alongside changes to the nose that is designed to improve overall car balance, as well as updating its wing mirrors to provide better controlled airflow to the rear of the car.
The largest amount of updates are seen at AlphaTauri, where changes to the floor and diffuser have been delivered to improve overall downforce, with a focus on the car’s performance in the early braking phases when it is lowest to the ground. Meanwhile, Williams has updated its rear wing endplates to provide an increase in downforce but also developed an additional front wing flap trim to give itself more options to adjust the car’s balance if required.
All 10 Formula 1 teams have brought new parts to the second race of the season at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with Williams submitting the largest number. Many teams have focused on circuit-specific changes, with Red Bull bringing a new beam wing, …
All 10 Formula 1 teams have brought new parts to the second race of the season at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, with Williams submitting the largest number.
Many teams have focused on circuit-specific changes, with Red Bull bringing a new beam wing, rear wing and rear wing endplate to Jeddah that allows a lower downforce setting with less drag. Ferrari has done similar with its beam wing, but has front wing endplate and floor edge upgrades designed for more outright performance.
At Mercedes, the rear wing is circuit specific while there is also a new floor edge design with the intention of improving diffuser performance. McLaren has also updated its diffuser for the same reason, while its rear wing changes are solely for the drag range in Jeddah, as is the case with a new beam wing for Alpine.
Aston Martin similarly has an adapted beam wing in addition to front and rear wings for this track, with Alfa Romeo and Haas also bringing circuit-specific front and rear wings, and AlphaTauri just a rear wing update.
Williams has followed suit with a front wing and beam wing change, but it is the only team to bring front and rear corner updates — the front for cooling and rear for drag reasons — as well further cooling updates to the engine cover.
