Formula 1

What Mercedes (and others) have disclosed about Monaco upgrades

by Mark Hughes
3 min read

All 10 Formula 1 teams have declared updates to their cars for the Monaco Grand Prix.

Some of those changes are specifically to adapt the cars for Monaco while others will have a bearing on the fortunes of those teams for the rest of the season.

Mark Hughes rounds up the changes:

Red Bull

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Red Bull has brought a Monaco-specific high downforce wing, with an accompanying enhanced lower beam wing. There’s also a change to the front suspension shroud to prevent it from fouling on the big steering lock required for the hairpin, the season’s slowest corner.

Ferrari

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The rear corner upgrades around brake ducts and suspension fairings which had been planned for Imola are available here. These are to improve airflow over and around the diffuser and are complementary to the new floor introduced in Miami.

There’s also a Monaco-spec rear wing and lower beam wing.

Mercedes

Motor Racing Formula One World Championship Monaco Grand Prix Preparation Day Monte Carlo, Monaco

Mercedes’ first major upgrade package of 2023 includes new sidepods that replace the zero-pod concept. New front suspension with a higher mounting point for the forward top wishbone, increasing the anti-dive angle.

The camber of the fences at the tunnel inlet has been revised. The bodywork around the top of the coke-bottle section has been widened and an extra cascade of winglets added to the rear lower corner.

Alpine

The fairings around the front wishbones and pushrod have been enhanced in an attempt at improving the consistency of airflow to the tunnel inlets.

The sidepod has been widened out and given a deeper airflow-accelerating gulley and there is an accompanying change to the cut-out of the floor edge. There’s also a circuit-specific rear wing and beam wing.

McLaren

Motor Racing Formula One World Championship Monaco Grand Prix Practice Day Monte Carlo, Monaco

In compliance with a new technical directive, McLaren has altered the outer-most of the tunnel inlet fences. A new rear winglet on the endplate to the expansion of the air from the diffuser and a Monaco-spec rear wing and beam wing.

Alfa Romeo

The lower engine cover around the coke bottle section has been widened, with a claimed improvement in aero-efficiency. An all-new underfloor with accompanying changes to the inlet fences, an upgrade originally scheduled for Imola.

The aero sheathing for the rear suspension has been reprofiled which together with new rear brake ducts is targeted at maximising the airflow from the new floor. There’s also a Monaco-spec wing and increased cooling exit surface area.

Aston Martin

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A re-angled front brake duct to better align with the new front wing tip. New rear brake ducts with accompanying changes to the rear suspension aero sheath. A Monaco-specific rear wing and beam wing.

Haas

Motor Racing Formula One World Championship Monaco Grand Prix Preparation Day Monte Carlo, Monaco

Modification to the profile of one of the four available front wings.

AlphaTauri

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A further evolution of the floor introduced in Melbourne, this one features re-aligned fences and a lower upper surface of the tunnel directly behind the outermost floor fence.

The outer floor curl around the rear tyre has been changed to enhance flow around the diffuser. Some external floor area has been surrendered to enhance the floor edge wing to increase the sealing effect of the floor.

The roof of the radiator inlet has been lowered and there is an accompanying alteration to the shape of the lower part of the engine cover. It also has a Monaco-spec rear wing and beam wing.

Williams

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A range of Monaco-specific changes, notably the sheathing around the front suspension designed to “accommodate the higher front wheel angles required for this circuit. The cladding is then optimised to maximise the local load and consequent flow structures”.

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