The battle in the F1 midfield could heat up further with sizeable new packages from Aston Martin and Sauber.
Aston Martin has a total of seven new components, with three of those focused on adding downforce via the floor specifically.
There’s also a front wing for this event and a revised diffuser as the Silverstone-based operation looks to take a step back towards the level it was at 12 months ago.
Further back, Sauber has the largest package with the Swiss operation hoping it sees it get off the mark in 2024.
It too has a new floor along with engine cover, sidepod inlets, and other elements designed to improve either airflow or add load.
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Of the 10 teams, McLaren is the only one without a declared upgrade of any sort, while rivals Red Bull Racing has a smaller package consisting of a new front wing, front corner, and a new engine cover specific for this event.
Red Bull Racing
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Coke/Engine Cover |
Circuit specific -Cooling Range | re-sculpted sidepods and engine cover revising the central exit and louvre exits | better cooling efficiency is attained for a high ambient temperature and relatively slow circuit with the revised geometry by reducing the load losses in such conditions from the exits. |
| Halo | Circuit specific -Cooling Range | Revised fairings towards the rearward mounts to suit the topbody downstream | A knock on effect of the topbody changes required a revision to the Halo fairings to eliminate mismatches in the local surfaces |
| Rear Corner | Performance -Local Load | Revised wrap-around profile of the wheel bodywork | Changes to the profile of the wrap- around upstream of the inatakes have given improvements in brake and caliper cooling intake pressures for better efficiencies. |
| Front Wing | Performance -Local Load | New profiles based upon previous designs affecting all four elements | Knowledge from the previous wings has allowed us to extract more load form revised profiles without affecting flow stability and protect downstream consequences. |
| Front Corner | Performance -Flow Conditioning | Revised front lower wishbone forward leg shroud profile | A further optimisation of the front lower wishbone forward leg shroud to provide higher pressure downstream. |
Mercedes
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Rear Corner | Performance -Local Load | Lower defector endplate trim. | Trimming the lower deflector endplate reduces local flow losses and therefore improves rear downforce through a range of ride heights. |
Ferrari
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Floor Body | Performance -Flow Conditioning | Reworked floor underbody | As a further evolution of the upgrade brought in Spain, this minor geometrical modification aims at enhancing flow structure and aero loads stability across the full operating envelope |
Aston Martin
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Front Wing | Circuit specific -Balance Range | A new Flap for the wing introduced at Silverstone with more aggression. | The more aggressive design increases the load on the wing to balance the car with the higher loaded rear wing which will be used at this event. |
| Halo | Performance -Local Load | The vanes attached to the Halo are revised with one that now joins the bodywork top deck. |
The vanes around the cockpit are designed to control the position of some of the lower energy flow from this surrounding area. |
| Floor Body | Performance -Local Load | The main body of the floor has evolved slightly in most places with the fences and floor edge. | The revised shapes improve the flowfield under the floor increasing the local load generated on the lower surface and hence performance. |
| Floor Fences | Performance -Local Load | The fences are redistributed across the LE of the floor with revised curvature and leading edge profiles.. | The revised shapes improve the flowfield under the floor increasing the local load generated on the lower surface and hence performance. |
| Floor Edge | Performance -Local Load | Small changes to the details of the floor edge wing and the main floor inboard of this. | The revised shapes improve the flowfield under the floor increasing the local load generated on the lower surface and hence performance. |
| Diffuser | Performance -Local Load | The diffuser is a slightly modified shape with boat surface. |
The changes to the shape modify the expansion in the diffuser to improve flow characteristics and the load generated on the surfaces. |
| Beam Wing | Performance -Local Load | Revised beam wing with more raised second element outboard. | The changes to the OB of the beam wing effects the balance of performance between the floor and rear wing for improved performance. |
Alpine
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Rear Corner | Circuit specific -Cooling Range | New inlet and exit ducts with new furniture. | As part of our normal development cycle, this new rear corner aims at giving more authority on the management of our rear brakes temperature through a wider inlet duct as well as a larger exit duct. |
Williams
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Coke/Engine Cover |
Circuit specific -Cooling Range | A new central exit duct for the cooling system is available. It is physically larger than those run previously. | This new larger exit simply results in a larger air mass flow rate through the cooling system. This increases the cooling to the PU and GBox fluids but comes at the cost of downforce and drag performance. It will be fitted if the ambient conditions demand it. |
RB
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Front Corner | Circuit specific -Cooling Range | Updated internal ducting. | The duct modifications improve the flow management through the brake system, ensuring that the incoming mass flow is distributed in the correct proportions to the individual items than need cooling. |
| Rear Corner | Performance -Local Load | The geometry of the winglets on the rear corner has been updated. | Additional downforce is generated, suitable for high-downforce circuits such as Hungary. |
Sauber
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Sidepod Inlet | Performance -Flow Conditioning | Revised sidepod inlet geometry | Combined with the reworked engine cover, the new sidepod inlet delivers better flow quality down the side of the car. |
| Coke/Engine Cover |
Performance -Flow Conditioning | Engine cover top surface re-designed | Bodywork and sidepod were changed together to improve the quality of the flow reaching the floor edge and the rear of the car. |
| Floor Body | Performance -Flow Conditioning | Reworked floor height and shape, combined with re- optimized floor fences. | The new front floor shape combined with the reworked fences deliver additionnal local load whilst maintaining a good flow quality for the rear floor. |
| Floor Edge | Performance -Local Load | Closed floor edge slot | The new floor edge delivers a local load increase whilst maintaining the vorticity level in the diffuser under control. |
| Rear Corner | Performance -Local Load | New brake scoop duct, deflectors geometries and associated suspension fairings |
The new corner and rear suspension covers delivered a step of performance when combined with the new bodywork and floor, both in local load and in the surrounding area. |
| Rear Suspension |
Performance -Flow Conditioning | New rear suspension fairings associated to the new rear corner. | The fairings were part of the new corner described above. They were realigned to the changes onset condtitions from the updated bodywork and deliver a clean flow for the rear floor and rear corner devices. |
| Halo | Performance -Flow Conditioning | Revised halo design combined with a new deflector | Halo design revised to improve the flow quality along the bodywork with an improved control of the cockpit losses. |
| Mirror | Performance -Flow Conditioning | Updated mirror geometries | Together with the sidepod inlet and the engine cover update we adapted the mirror stays to achieve better flow control and flow quality towards the rear end. |
| Headrest | Performance -Flow Conditioning | Raised headrest shoulders | Together with the sidepod inlet update which is slightly raised we adapted the headrest shoulder towards the sidepod / engine cover for a smooth transition. |
Haas
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Coke/Engine Cover |
Circuit specific -Cooling Range | Larger Engine Cover Cooling Exit | This option represents a cooling option: wider central exit allows more heat rejection. Option designed to minimize the Aero penalty. |
| Cooling Louvres |
Circuit specific -Cooling Range | Set of Sidepod top and engine cover louvers | Further cooling options with the possibility to fit louvres on the Sidepod top (most efficient ones as on top of the radiators) and a range of louvres on the new Engine cover to fine tune the potential cooling requirements. |
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