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With several Formula 1 teams having brought upgrades forward to before the summer break, there’s a fairly even split at the Dutch Grand Prix between those sticking with their established packages, those just making adjustments for Zandvoort’s high-downforce needs and those bringing significant new parts.
The most significant upgrades come near the back of the field, while championship rivals Red Bull and McLaren have a specification switch and a notable floor change respectively - as Mark Hughes explains.
Red Bull
The championship leader goes back to the Hungary-spec high-downforce bodywork which is set to be used at all remaining races now apart from Monza.
The halo fairing has been realigned to complement the different rear bodywork, as have the mirror stays.
McLaren
A new floor edge is claimed to increase both local load and the performance of the floor overall. The front and rear suspension sheaths have been realigned, the brake ducts reshaped for a claimed better efficiency.
Optimised for the high-downforce demands of this circuit and with not much corner speed spread, there is a completely new rear wing arrangement with accompanying more powerful beam wing.
Alpine
Alpine has new aero sheathing for the front suspension to improve airflow downstream. Higher downforce winglets for rear brake ducts for the specific demands of this track.
Williams
A big update for the FW46 with an all-new floor geometry for underbody, floor edges and inlet vanes.
The floor redesign has offered opportunities downstream and there is a subtly altered diffuser to exploit that.
The sidepod inlet is new, with an enhanced upper lip, claimed to improve aero losses from the front of the car and thus powering up the airflow downstream.
The sidepod geometry beneath the inlet is also new, with a less aggressive gulley and wider bodywork at the rear. These are to fully exploit the revised aero from the new floor.
Some mass has been removed from the bodywork around the roll hoop structure.
RB
Bigger winglets atop the RB’s rear brake ducts for the high-downforce demands of the track.
Haas
Haas has a new front wing with reduced camber inboard, increased camber mid-section.
This concentrates the load towards the middle of the wing, giving a cleaner flow over the nose which now overlaps with the first element of the wing. This is designed to give a more efficient central flow.
The sheathing around the front upper wishbone has been altered to work better with the new wing and nose.
Ferrari, Mercedes, Aston Martin and Sauber: No upgrades submitted.
