Why the devil is in the detail as F1’s 2023 designs converge

But once the finished cars had gone public, it was inevitable we would see teams hone-in on the agreed best ideas – even if it meant switching concept. 

The imposition of a cost cap limited how much change was possible during the 2022 campaign, though, with biggest revisions always likely to be made over the last winter. 

As F1’s 2023 cars have broken cover, it has been interesting to see the degree of convergence there has been in some of the key areas – but also how different many of the details remain. 

As we head into the pre-season test in Bahrain, it looks like there are three key development paths that teams have settled on, as they form into camps. 

The downwash concept 

Last season, there is little doubt that Red Bull’s downwash sidepod concept was the version that most teams agreed seemed to deliver the biggest bang for buck. 

For this season, Alpine, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, AlphaTauri, McLaren and Williams (and most likely Red Bull when the RB19 is unveiled) have aggressively pursued the downwash sidepod solution category. 

This section of F1’s development tree has several branches, some of which stem from the more conventional downwashing ramp solution used by Red Bull and AlphaTauri. This was adopted by the likes of Aston Martin, McLaren and Williams during 2022, with Alfa Romeo joining those ranks for 2023. 

Alpine had started the 2022 season with a similar concept but took a diverging development path, with the downwash ramp retained. However, a chute began to form as the bodywork in the central section of the ramp sank further inwards. 

Whilst Alpine has clearly worked hard to develop this concept heading into 2023, it obviously caught the eye of several of its rivals too, with both Aston Martin and Williams incorporating this feature into their designs for this season. 

As you would expect though, there is still a significant amount of difference between these designs, as each team not only injects their own DNA but also works within the confines of the budget and resources they have at their disposal. 

Williams FW45 sidepod comparison

Photo by: Williams F1

In Williams’ case, this has resulted in numerous changes to its sidepods. It had the opportunity to repackage its internal components of the sidepods, such as the radiators, coolers and electronics, as it started afresh with this year’s chassis in line with the new sidepod…