What’s the new storyline for this weekend’s F1 Japanese Grand Prix?
upgrade.
Many teams have suggested bringing some upgrades to Suzuka. Both Sauber and Alpine have said that some new components will be introduced to the track, and of course there’s also the long-awaited upgrade to the RB20 that Red Bull is set to unveil.
Will another team bring an upgrade to Suzuka?
Aston Martin.
inside Team preview of Japanese Grand PrixAston Martin Deputy Technical Director Eric Brandin gave us a glimpse into the AMR24’s performance to date, the team’s development program and what it will take to perform well at Suzuka.
“The AMR24 has performed as expected and is where we expected it to be in the competitive standings. We identified a number of areas for improvement over the winter and the AMR24 has It’s proven to be a step forward in all areas,” Brandin said of the team’s 2024 challengers. “The AMR24 is a strong platform for development and we have a continuous development plan that will bring upgrades throughout the season.”
The mention of the AMR24 as a “strong platform for development” coincides with the biggest question facing the team in pre-season and ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix. Aston Martin got off to a strong start last year, with the AMR23 performing like the second-best car on the grid early on.
As a result, Aston Martin shot to the top of the rankings at the start of the year, but as other teams started introducing upgrades, they began to fall. In their own words, Aston Martin struggled with the development of the AMR23 mid-season, which gave it the chance to overtake rivals such as McLaren in the standings.
This year, they are planning a different course.
Regarding upgrades for the Japanese Grand Prix, Brandin made it clear that Aston Martin is making some changes, but they are not alone.
“As part of our continued development, we are introducing updates at Suzuka including floor changes, some bodywork and a new beam wing. I’m looking forward to it. It’s always exciting to see how the race cars perform and how we’re doing on the track.” I explained about Brandin.. “That said, other teams will also bring upgrades, so it’s all relative. We’re in a competitive development race, but as our upgrades move forward We hope this will help close the gap.”
Brandin then discussed what it takes to succeed in Japan.
“Suzuka is a great combination of slow and fast corners. This combination is very challenging and provides an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of your car’s strengths and weaknesses,” Blandin outlined. did. “If the car works well here, it should do well at most circuits. This is a special place that pushes the limits of the car. As well as being a real challenge for the drivers and engineers, there are many We have a lot of history and the support from our fans is unparalleled.”
Brandin made it clear that the focus should be on the first sector as to how to go around Suzuka and which teams will be competitive.
“The Sector 1 Esse is very challenging and we have seen in the past that if you have a strong car in Sector 1, you are likely to be competitive at Suzuka as well,” Brandin said. “He has two low-speed corners, the hairpin and the final chicane, but the rest of the circuit is relatively medium-fast, so it’s important to take that into account when setting up.”
This map of Suzuka F1.com Highlighting the first sector ‘esses’, the hairpin (Turn 11) and the final chicane (Turns 16-18).
Like Australia, Japan also presents challenges for teams, especially those working at the Silverstone factory. Some team members remained in the area after the Australian Grand Prix, while others returned to the area early from the UK to adjust to the time change.
Those staying at the Silverstone factory will also have to adjust to the time difference.
“After the Australian Grand Prix, a lot of parts were sent directly from Melbourne to Japan because we didn’t want to bring everything back to the UK and ship it again. Most of the teams that went to Australia returned home, but time “Some teams will remain in Australia and fly directly to Japan to minimize zone changes,” Brandin said. “Those who came to Japan from the UK left a little earlier than the European races to give them time to adapt.
“We also have a lot of people working in the Japanese time zone at the AMR Technology Campus, which means they have to stagger their working hours as well. and continue working until the end of the session. Many of them started changing their body clocks on Monday in preparation for the weekend.”
But the focus will be on their upgrades, as Aston Martin’s form this weekend may provide the first indication of whether they can indeed get their mid-season development right.
Something they could have avoided a year ago.
