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Analysis
Formula 1 Qatar GP

Qatar GP: F1 tech images from the pitlane explained

Join us as we delve into the Formula 1 technical features on display in the pitlane as teams prepare themselves for the challenges posed by the Qatar Grand Prix, courtesy of Giorgio Piola and Sutton Images.

Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

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.


Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

More cooling capacity is being employed by Red Bull in Qatar, with more louvres opened up in the engine cover panel than usual.


Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A close up of the newer specification floor edge wing that Red Bull introduced in Singapore, shelved for that race given the challenges they faced and then reintroduced in Japan.


Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

The rear section of the edge wing, which has four support brackets that are specifically shaped and organized in order that they offer the best aerodynamic performance.


Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

An overview of the outer floor fence, forward section of the floor and the notably the interface panel with the side of the chassis.


Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A close up of the RB19’s front wing, which has a twisted and cambered endplate, while the flaps are tightly wound in the outermost section to help promote more outwash.


Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Red Bull Racing RB19 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

An overview of the RB19’s rear end, with the open-ended rear wing tip section back in service for Qatar.


Ferrari SF-23 detail

Ferrari SF-23 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

Comparatively a shot of the Ferrari SF-23 rear end, which has opted not to use its version of the open-ended rear wing tip section solution.


Ferrari SF-23 detail

Ferrari SF-23 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A front view of the Ferrari rear wing which also has a Gurney flap applied to the trailing edge of the upper flap.


Ferrari SF-23 detail

Ferrari SF-23 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A close up of the outer section of the front wing flap and endplate junction on the Ferrari SF-23, which shows how the elements are flared outward to help generate more outwash.


Ferrari SF-23 detail

Ferrari SF-23 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

An overview of the front floor on the Ferrari SF-23, with those surfaces, including the fences adjusted at the Japanese Grand Prix.


Ferrari SF-23 detail

Ferrari SF-23 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

Ferrari also made changes at the rear of its floor in Japan, with the tyre spat region ahead of the rear tyre seeing its geometry altered, while the shape of the floor’s sidewall was also modified.


Mercedes W14 detail, Ferrari SF-23 detail

Mercedes W14 detail, Ferrari SF-23 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

Having garages next to one another gives us an opportunity to see the contrasting design decisions taken with the nose and front wing on the Mercedes W14 and Ferrari SF-23, even if they are stored at different angles.


Aston Martin AMR23 detail

Aston Martin AMR23 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A look at the front section of floor on the Aston Martin AMR23, including the outer floor fence, with its arched stepdown, while it’s also clear to see the blister created by the floor to chassis interface panel and the blister used to hide the lower SIS within the floor assembly.


Aston Martin AMR23 detail

Aston Martin AMR23 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

Aston Martin has also opted not to use its open-ended rear wing tip section in Qatar but remains the only team to have added a heavily sculpted swage line to the inside face of their endplate to assist with upwash.


AlphaTauri AT04 detail

AlphaTauri AT04 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

AlphaTauri has a relatively short outer floor fence when compared with some of its rivals, although the angle does add further deception to just how short it is. Also note how the inboard fences are also twisted from vertical.


AlphaTauri AT04 detail

AlphaTauri AT04 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

The AT04 is also set up with the open-ended tip section solution, as the team looks for the right balance between downforce and drag.


Williams FW45 detail

Williams FW45 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

Williams’s rear wing endplate features the upwash swage line that we first saw on the Aston Martin AMR23 and Alpine A523 at the start of the season.


Williams FW45 detail

Williams FW45 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

Williams is yet to follow in the footsteps of the rest of the grid that have adopted the open-ended tip section to their rear wing, although the FW45 has proved to be an aerodynamically efficient challenger nonetheless.


Williams FW45 detail

Williams FW45 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

This is perhaps in part due to the way Williams pairs its upper elements with the beam wing, with the team once again opting for a single element in Qatar, albeit one of the larger variants within their suite.


Williams FW45 detail

Williams FW45 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A good overview of the floor’s front section and the outer fence, especially as it shows the surface contours being used.


Alpine A523 extra cooling detail

Alpine A523 extra cooling detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Alpine utilised more cooling during FP1 in Qatar to help reduce wear on the power unit, while also testing the operating parameters it affords in preparation for the Mexican Grand Prix.


Red Bull Racing RB19 with flow-vis paint

Red Bull Racing RB19 with flow-vis paint

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Flow-vis paint applied to the leading-edge panel on the Red Bull RB19’s sidepod as the team continues to study areas of the car where updates were made this season.


Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB19, with flow-vis

Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing RB19, with flow-vis

Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Flow-vis was also applied to other areas of the car during FP1, including the beam wing, shown here and the rear wing upper elements on both cars at a later point in the session.


Alfa Romeo C43 rear

Alfa Romeo C43 rear

Photo by: Jon Noble

Alfa Romeo is the latest team to add an upwash swage line on the external face of its rear wing endplate in Qatar, with the beam wing layout also adjusted to work in unison with it.


Alpine A523 rear

Alpine A523 rear

Photo by: Jon Noble

A look at the bi-plane style beam wing arrangement being utilised by Alpine.


Red Bull Racing RB19 extra cooling detail

Red Bull Racing RB19 extra cooling detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

To accompany the extra cooling on the engine cover, Red Bull has also deployed a smaller cooling panel with louvres on the upper surface of the sidepod.


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