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Formula 1 teams now have to make all their upgrades publicly obvious in what series chief Ross Brawn has called a “show and tell”.
Before Friday practice at each grand prix, each team must make the latest version of their cars available to the media along with a team representative, with a selection of teams each weekend then ordered to do the same after qualifying.
A list of updated parts is also published ahead of these events – which have been titled ‘automotive displays’.
Here’s what we learned about teams’ upgrades this weekend from the list issued ahead of the first such display on Friday in Bahrain.
Mercedes
Mercedes has a new floor for this weekend, addressing the porpoising experienced in testing.
“Main changes were to the roof profile around the floor edge ahead of the rear tyre, and to the fences sitting at the front of the floor where we have adjusted cambers to adjust their loading,” as the team explains.
There is also a small tweak to the rear ‘cake tins’, a change to the vertical deflector to improve interaction with the airflow from the diffuser.
Other details already seen in testing last week – ie the radical new sidepods, a more undercut nose, and the added floor stays.
Red Bull
Red Bull has nothing that was not already used in testing here last week. The new sidepods, front wing and diffuser fences were all debuted there.
Ferrari
No changes.
McLaren
Much of McLaren’s focus has been on curing the brake overheating suffered in Bahrain testing. So there are new front brake ducts.
But in addition there are pre-planned aero upgrades including new sidepods and new floor fences for the diffuser. There are additional shoulder louvres on the sidepods to give the option of increased cooling capacity.
Alpine
Alpine lists new sidepods and a higher performance rear wing, though we’ve yet to see them. It plans to test new components on the edges of the floor in practice today.
AlphaTauri
AlphaTauri lists virtually every component on the car but only as explanations for their function. There is nothing listed as specifically different to testing.
Aston Martin
There are new winglets outboard of the halo to improve flow to the back of the car and rear wing. There is a bigger radius on the lower corner of the sidepod inlet to improve cooling efficiency. There is a shorter outboard fence on the floor as a small aerodynamic tweak which also gives a weight reduction.
Williams
The choice of some different gurney flaps for the front wing.
Alfa Romeo
Updated blanking of the cooling louvres on top of the sidepods.
There is a ‘packer’ between the chassis side and floor. It’s unclear whether this is a reliability change or to better control porpoising.
Front brake ducts have been modified for greater cooling capacity.
Haas
New floor stays to control porpoising.
