During the Spanish Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing surprised onlookers with modifications to their floor’s edge wing and diffuser, adopting design elements commonly seen on their competitors’ cars. It appears that Adrian Newey, renowned technical guru, spotted these features during his customary grid walks. Red Bull’s engineering team then put their own unique twist on these solutions, which have been tried and tested by other teams over an extended period.
Implementing these changes is not as straightforward as copying and pasting solutions from elsewhere. They must harmonize with Red Bull’s existing architecture, requiring the team to create its own development branch within the overall design framework. This branch will likely undergo further optimization as the season progresses, ensuring maximum performance gains.
The forward section of Red Bull’s edge wing already mimics the cut-out in the floor beneath, featuring a C-shaped profile. However, beyond this point, an additional strake has been added to the upturned scroll section of the wing. This innovation aims to guide the airflow that is redirected from the floor in this specific area.
Furthermore, the upper corner of the diffuser has been modified with an inverted pocket arrangement, similar to designs employed by many competitors. This alteration not only affects the diffuser’s internal performance but also influences the behavior of the airflow over the upper corner.
In contrast, Mercedes took a somewhat retrograde step at the Spanish Grand Prix by removing the upper slat element from its wing mirror assembly. The inboard stalk is now directly mounted to the side of the mirror housing. This adjustment ensures that the airflow around the mirror housing’s bluff body aligns better with the modifications made to the sidepods.
Mercedes also explored various solutions during Friday’s free practice sessions, experimenting with both medium and high downforce rear wings. Ultimately, they settled on the high downforce wing for qualifying and the race. Additionally, the team tested a larger rear cooling outlet option before reverting to the narrower solution for the competitive sessions, indicating their meticulous search for the ideal setup for the W14.
While Aston Martin has had a strong start to the season, the surrounding teams have been making significant changes in an attempt to close the performance gap. In response, Aston Martin introduced a host of new parts in Spain to maintain their competitive edge.
Their front wing underwent a complete overhaul as part of the update package. The distribution of the upper two flaps was altered to create a more uniform design, eliminating the previously swooped section ahead of the front tire. This change aligns Aston Martin’s front wing with the designs seen across the grid. It also opens up development opportunities for the outboard section, where the flap and endplate juncture underwent redesigning. The second, third, and fourth elements are now stepped away from the endplate and twisted to promote increased outwash.
The adjustments to the front wing prompted Aston Martin to reset the angle of the camera pods mounted on the side of the nose, considering the altered airflow reaching them.
At the rear of the car, further enhancements were made to the latest rear wing specification, with the main changes already tested during the Monaco Grand Prix. These modifications include a different attachment method for the tip section of the endplate, which now sits inboard and turned inward instead of merging with the outer edge. These alterations affect the pressure gradient and alter the vorticity of the tip vortex. Furthermore, the inboard geometry of the endplate has been adjusted, featuring a swage line with a steeper angle similar to that used on the outer face. This adjustment not only impacts aerodynamics directly but also influences the surrounding surfaces, prompting modifications to the beam wing to capitalize on these changes.
Aston Martin also briefly tested a pair of additional guide vanes atop the halo, aiming to refine the flow around the safety structure and enhance downstream performance in upcoming races. Although not mentioned in the car presentation submission, it is likely that Aston Martin will introduce a more polished variant of these guide vanes in the future.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Innovative approach
Q: What modifications did Red Bull make to their car during the Spanish Grand Prix?
A: Red Bull made changes to the floor’s edge wing and the diffuser, incorporating design elements seen on their competitors’ cars.
Q: How did Red Bull ensure the effectiveness of these modifications?
A: The modifications were based on solutions used by other teams and extensively optimized by them, providing proof of performance.
Q: Did Red Bull simply copy the solutions from other teams?
A: No, the concepts had to be adapted to work in harmony with Red Bull’s existing architecture, leading to their own unique twist on the designs.
Q: What were the specific changes made to the edge wing and diffuser?
A: The edge wing featured an added strake to guide airflow offloaded from the floor, while the diffuser had an inverse pocket arrangement on the upper corner.
Q: How did Mercedes alter their car for the Spanish Grand Prix?
A: Mercedes removed the upper slat element from the wing mirror assembly and made changes to the diffuser’s sidewall, aiming to improve airflow and increase local load.
Q: What updates did Aston Martin introduce to their car in Spain?
A: Aston Martin overhauled their front wing, improving uniformity and promoting outwash. They also made enhancements to the rear wing and experimented with additional guide vanes.
Q: How did the modifications impact Aston Martin’s car performance?
A: The modifications aimed to maintain Aston Martin’s competitive edge by improving aerodynamics, altering airflow, and optimizing performance downstream.
Q: What other changes were observed during the Spanish Grand Prix?
A: Mercedes tested different rear wing options, Aston Martin adjusted the angle of camera pods, and Red Bull made unique modifications to their car’s development tree.
Q: What are some key keywords related to this text?
A: Red Bull, F1, car modifications, aerodynamics, performance enhancement, rival inspiration, Mercedes, Aston Martin
More about Innovative approach
- Red Bull Racing Official Website
- Formula 1 Official Website
- Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team Official Website
- Aston Martin Cognizant Formula One™ Team Official Website
4 comments
mercedes makin sum strange movs wit the miror and diffuser. dont know if it wil help them or hurt them. aston martin tryin to keep up wit the changes, new wing, new rear wing, lots of stuff goin on! cant wait to see how it affex their performans.
love how red bull thinks outside the box. they take ideas from others but make it their own. also, aston martin not lettin the other teams get ahead, new front wing, rear wing, everything! gonna be an excitin season! #F1
red bull really knows how to get inspirashun from their slowa f1 rivals! they made changs to da floor wing & diffuser, similar to other teams. they def copied them but put their own twist on it. gona be cool to see how it workz for them!
wonder if the changes red bull made wil make them faster or slower. and mercedes, takin out the slat, is that a good ideer? aston martin, they mean bizness with all the updates. cant wait to see how all these teams perform on the track!