Ferrari brings new F1 car floor to Japan in bid to boost efficiency
Ferrari is chasing efficiency gains for its Formula 1 car thanks to a new floor update it has brought to the Japanese Grand Prix.
Giorgio Piola's F1 technical analysis
Giorgio Piola is the preeminent Formula 1 technical journalist. Born in Genoa, Italy, Giorgio has covered the F1 World Championship since 1969, producing thousands of illustrations that have been reproduced in the world’s most prestigious motor racing publications.
With the team hunting further success after its triumph in Singapore last weekend, it is evaluating a revamped floor configuration at Suzuka.
The team says that revisions to the front floor fences, floor edge, mid floor and diffuser sidewall, which work in conjunction with a redesigned sidepod undercut, are aimed at loss management and load distribution.
It added: “[This] translates into a car efficiency increase.”
Ferrari SF-23 technical detail
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
As well as tweaking the floor, the Italian team is running the same low-drag beam wing configuration and rear wing mainplane set-up that it used at the British Grand Prix – which is further aimed at improving straightline speed.
McLaren MCL60 technical detail
Photo by: Filip Cleeren
Ferrari is not alone in aiming to reduce drag, with McLaren also bringing a new offloaded beam wing to Japan.
The reshaped upper and lower elements reduce load and drag and are better suited to the needs of the Suzuka circuit.
McLaren has also added a packer to its sidepod which helps improve local flow conditioning to help cooling requirements.
AlphaTauri AT04 technical detail
Photo by: Filip Cleeren
AlphaTauri has built on the major upgrade package it brought to the Singapore GP with further changes for this weekend’s race in Japan.
It has tweaked the endplate junction on its rear wing to improve overall efficiency of its package.
The team has also removed three turning vanes from its outboard mirror stem as part of a repeat experiment. This shift serves not only to reduce drag, but also impacts the outwash effect that acts upon the front wheel.
Mercedes W14 technical detail
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Mercedes has made a small modification to its rear wing with a contoured vane added to the outer face of its rear endplate.
In its official tech submission, the team said: “This vane generates a small vortex which in turn generates a small amount of local downforce and drag.”
Aston Martin AMR23 technical detail
Photo by: Filip Cleeren
Aston Martin has introduced revised smaller front brake ducts, which are better suited to the cooling requirements of the Suzuka track, while Williams is running a tweaked floor configuration.
The height of the most inboard forward floor fence has been reduced, to help offload that fence – which has an impact on the flow field at both the front and rear of the car.
Williams FW45 technical detail
Photo by: Filip Cleeren
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