Formula 1 Dashboard
The battle at the front of the Formula 1 grid is heating up, and teams are bringing their A-game to the Austrian Grand Prix. With McLaren setting a strong pace, their rivals are rolling out significant upgrades in a bid to close the gap and gain a crucial edge. The Red Bull Ring, known for its unique challenges, will be the proving ground for these new developments.
McLaren
McLaren arrives in Austria with a refined front suspension, featuring modified fairings designed to optimize airflow and boost aerodynamic performance. They've also adapted the aerodynamic devices on the front corner. Further enhancing their package, a revised rear corner incorporates an alternative rear suspension geometry, necessitating adjustments to the surrounding aerodynamic surfaces for both clearance and performance.
Ferrari
Ferrari is focusing on the heart of their car's aerodynamic performance with a brand-new floor package. This extensive update includes revisions to the floor fences, body, edge, and diffuser. According to the Scuderia, the updated front floor fences aim for enhanced downstream vorticity. The re-shaped "boat" and tunnel expansion have been re-optimized, along with the floor edge loading and diffuser volume distribution, all contributing to an overall load gain across the car's operating envelope.
Red Bull Racing
Home heroes Red Bull have also brought a floor upgrade, specifically targeting the floor edge. This modification is designed to maintain flow stability and extract more downforce, aiming for more consistent performance and improved car handling.
Mercedes
Mercedes' updates are largely circuit-specific, addressing the unique demands of the Red Bull Ring. They've introduced enlarged front brake ducts and modified bodywork exits on the engine cover to cope with the increased cooling requirements. Given the circuit's high altitude and the expected high temperatures, effective cooling is paramount for braking performance.
Racing Bulls
Racing Bulls has two new components for Austria. An updated front wing flap is designed to improve local flow conditioning, thereby increasing aerodynamic performance across a range of conditions. They've also introduced a circuit-specific rear wing, with changes to the upper element to provide a better balance of downforce and efficiency specifically for the Austrian track.
Kick Sauber
Sauber, a team that has shown promising progress recently, continues its development with further tweaks to its floor. Modifications to the mid-floor area, floor edge, and diffuser are intended to efficiently increase downforce. Additionally, they've designed a higher-downforce rear wing configuration for this circuit.
