Having had four weeks to work on their cars since the last round of the world championship, the 10 Formula 1 teams have brought a series of revisions to their cars for this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The long flat-out sections on the Baku City Circuit see some of the highest straight-line speeds of the year. Teams have brought other parts aimed at reducing the drag produced by their cars to improve their competitiveness, and also to improve their braking performance at the several points on the track where they must shed a significant amount of speed.
However this is also the first sprint event of the season, and following changes to the format teams have only a single hour of practice to evaluate their latest upgrades. They will be anxious to ensure they maximise the first 60 minutes of running to get the most out of their new packages.
McLaren have particularly high hopes for their upgrade package. The team admitted at the launch of its MCL60 there were key areas of the car’s design they wanted to improve on which would not be ready in time for the start of the season.
It has brought a series of upgrades for its floor and rear wing this weekend, which Lando Norris said yesterday brings the MCL60 to the specification the team should have had at the start of the year. McLaren said the new floor “significantly alters local suction distribution as well as floor structure strength and positioning, resulting in an overall gain of load.”
AlphaTauri, who like McLaren endured a disappointing start to the season, have also brought an extensive update for their car. Much of this is aimed at drag reduction, but also includes improvements to cooling and braking into low-speed corners, which has been a particular area of concern for the team and its drivers.
Alpine has brought a significant revision for its A523 including a “completely new floor” which both Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly will run. They expect this will provide a “greater overall load.”
Red Bull may have dominated the opening rounds of the championship and know they are permitted less aerodynamic development than their rivals – partly as a result of their penalty for exceeding the 2021 budget cap – but they are not standing still. The RB19 has revisions to its sidepods this weekend including a “consequential” change to the air inlets.
Among their closest rivals, Ferrari and Aston Martin have only declared one update each. Mercedes have done more work on their W14, though their…
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