The Red Bull Formula 1 team has introduced a new sidepod and engine cover detail at Silverstone.
The main change is the area where the HRC sticker is placed just behind the Red Bull decal. In this area, the bodywork is now increased in volume.
As I have said many times, the airflow that is used to cool the car is of very little use for anything else.
After it has gone through the radiators and picked up the required heat, it has very little energy left in it, so making sure that the exit position is in the best position possible is just as important as finding areas to generate more downforce.
It is still important that the radiator exit feeds into a low pressure area to improve the flow through the radiator, and this new exit is more of a letterbox shape than previously.
It now exits above the beam wing’s upper surface and below the rear wing’s undersurface, so the hot airflow will not have as much of a negative effect on the performance of these two components.
It will increase the undercut in the bodywork trailing edge, improving the airflow to the middle of the car which in turn should improve the performance of the diffuser.
From small-ish detail changes like this, the complete rear of the car should work just that little bit more efficiently.
