Tech F1i: A rundown of the teams’ upgrades for Austrian GP

After last weekend’s vast array of updates, only five teams have implemented changes to their cars for the Austrian GP at Spielberg.

For the most part, the modifications registered at Mercedes, Ferrari, McLaren, RB, and Sauber equate to minor tweaks rather than genuine upgrades.

And their purpose is also generally rooted in adapting a car to the specific requirements of the Red Bull Ring’s short layout.

McLaren has brought a two-pronged upgrade to the Austrian Grand Prix aimed at improving the aerodynamic performance of its MCL38. The key element is a new front wing with revised geometry. This new design improves how air flows over the car (flow conditioning) and works in conjunction with an updated front suspension.

The updated front suspension is specifically tailored to take advantage of the improved flow characteristics generated by the new front wing. This combined package should result in a significant boost in aerodynamic load for the car.

La nueva pletina lateral del ala delantera del McLaren

New McLarens's front wing endplate. #f1 pic.twitter.com/rWq8JtOnsI

— Albert Fabrega (@AlbertFabrega) June 28, 2024

In Austria, Mercedes is focusing on reducing its silver arrow’s drag with their update. They've implemented a decambered beam wing, which means the wing elements have a flatter profile.

This reduces the amount of air bending over the wing (camber), resulting in less overall downforce generated by both the beam wing itself and the floor beneath it. The trade-off is a decrease in drag, which can be beneficial on high-speed tracks like the Red Bull Ring.

In anticipation of high ambient temperatures in Spielberg, Ferrari has added an extra panel of cooling louvres to the engine cover of their SF-24. These louvres are designed to increase the rate of airflow (mass flow rate) across the car, which is crucial for keeping the power unit cool during the race.

However, this modification comes at a slight cost, as the additional louvres will slightly disrupt the car's aerodynamics and reduce efficiency.

Visa Cash App RB has opted for a minor aerodynamic tweak on its VCARB 01 for Austria after its troubled Barcelona weekend. They've revised the configuration of the winglets on the rear brake drum faces. These winglets play a crucial role in both generating downforce and managing airflow around the rear of the car.

By optimizing their design, RB aims to improve the overall effectiveness of these flow conditioning elements, potentially leading to a performance gain.

Sauber is bringing a track-specific update to their car for this weekend’s Sprint format event. They've implemented a new, single-element beam wing for the rear of the car. This design choice prioritizes drag reduction over downforce generation.

Compared to traditional multi-element wings, the single element offers a slight decrease in drag, which will improve the car's overall aerodynamic efficiency. This modification is well-suited for the high-speed nature of the Red Bull Ring and similar circuits.

Red Bull, Aston Martin, Alpine, Williams or Haas are all fielding unchanged cars at the Red Bull Ring.

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