The final round of upgrades ahead of F1’s summer break has been revealed with nine of the sport’s 10 teams featuring new parts at the Belgian GP.
There is a sizeable upgrade from Mercedes with changes to the sidepod inlets, engine cover, floor body, and rear wing.
According to the document submitted to the FIA, drag reduction was a key motivator for the new parts.
At McLaren, a new rear wing, specially designed for this event, has been introduced.
Daniel Ricciardo will also enjoy a new rear wing, designed to offer more load in general rather than Spa-Francorchamps specific performance.
Red Bull
| 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 | Reduced cooling exit area ahead of the rear top wishbones | A minor revision to change the cooling exits on each side ahead of the upper rear wishbones. The geometric consequences suit the cooling requirements in relatively cool ambient conditions typically encountered at the Belgian circuit. |
Ferrari
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Rear Wing | Performance -Drag reduction | Lower Downforce Top and Lower Rear Wing designs | Specific to lower downforce tracks, this update features depowered Top and Lower Rear Wing profiles in order to adapt to Spa-Francorchamps layout peculiarities and efficiency requirements |
Mercedes
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Sidepod Inlet | Reliability | Taller sidepod inlet | Taller inlet improves flow quality to sidepod radiators, improving engine cooling and allowing less louvres for a given cooling level. |
| Coke/Engine Cover | Performance -Flow Conditioning |
Sideview coke tube camber increased | Increased coke side view camber improves onset flow to the rear of the car, notably the rear wing which gains downforce and drag. |
| Floor Body | Performance -Local Load | Small changes to floor underside volume distribution | Volume distribution adjusted to extract more local load from forward floor vortex system, which in turn improves flow to the diffuser. |
| Rear Wing | Performance -Drag reduction | Small chord upper rear wing | Reduced camber and reduced chord upper rear wing with less downforce and drag than standard – suited to low drag track such as Spa. |
Alpine
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Front Wing | Circuit specific -Drag Range | Larger scale cut out on the front wing flap | Reduced aerodynamic load front wing flap to suit the lower downforce level of Circuit Spa-Francorchamps |
| Floor Body | Performance -Local Load | Revised forward fences, canoe ramps and smoother diffuser wall cut out profile | Gains downforce through the accumulation of several small local gains resulting from the revised geometries |
McLaren
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Beam Wing | Circuit specific -Drag Range | Offloaded Biplane Beamwing | A new offloaded Beamwing geometry, which efficiently trades load from Beamwing to Rear Wing Main Plane and thus reduces aerodynamic Drag and Load. |
| Rear Wing Endplate |
Circuit specific -Drag Range | Rear Wing Endplate Infill | A modified Rear wing endplate featuring a different sideview shape, which reduces Rear Wing Mainplane loading and thus efficiently reduces aerodynamic Drag and Load. |
| Rear Wing | Circuit specific -Drag Range | Rear Wing Flap Trims | Two different Trims to the Trailing edge of the Rear Wing Flap Element, which result in a reduction of aerodynamic Drag and Load. |
Alfa Romeo Sauber
| 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 | Reprofiled front wing flaps. | The updated front wing flaps (available in two trim options) are designed to balance the rear wings listed below to answer the characteristics of the Spa circuit. |
| Rear Wing | Circuit specific -Drag Range | Reduced profile rear wing | A low-drag rear wing, featuring both main plane and endplates, that allows the team to minimise drag around the Spa circuit |
| Beam Wing | Circuit specific -Drag Range | Profile of the beam wing (version with and version without) | As part of the updated, circuit-specific rear wing, the beam wing is available in two versions – with and without an upper element. This is to prepare for the specific requirements of the Spa circuit. |
Aston Martin
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Floor Edge | Performance -Local Load | Floor edge updated to subtly revise the geometry, conceptually similar. | Small changes to the features generated from the floor edge to improve their interaction and hence local load on the lower surface of the floor. |
| Rear Wing | Circuit specific -Drag Range | New rear wing flap with reduced chord on the low drag rear wing. | Reduced wing loading and hence drag to suit the characteristics of the circuit, may be used but defined by the chosen setup. |
| Beam Wing | Circuit specific -Drag Range | Single element beam wing. | Reduced wing loading and hence drag to suit the characteristics of the circuit, may be used but defined by the chosen setup. |
Scuderia AlphaTauri
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Rear Wing | Performance – Local Load |
Compared to the previous assembly at this drag level, the rear wing tips have been modified to increase the size of the cut-outs. | The increased size of the cut-outs gives an efficient increase in local load of the upper wing assembly by increasing the tip loading. |
Williams
| Updated component | Primary reason for update | Geometric differences compared to previous version | Brief description on how the update works |
| Rear Corner | Circuit specific -Drag Range | New, shorted winglets on the rear brake ducts | These work with the rear wing assembly to efficiently change the downforce/drag range of the car for the Belgian Grand Prix. |
| Front Wing | Circuit specific -Balance Range | Optional trim to the rearward most element of the front wing to give a shorter chord length | This reduces the front wing loading to suit the lower drag rear wing setup at the Belgian Grand Prix circuit. |
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