AUSTIN — The 2024 Formula 1 season may be coming to an end, but the ongoing development battle shows no signs of slowing down.
On Friday, all 10 F1 teams were asked to draw up a list of upgrades for the American Grand Prix, with several identifying significant upgrades to the 2024 challengers. among them? Mercedes and McLaren are strong contenders for the constructors' championship.
But they're not alone, Aston Martin, Sauber and Haas have also revealed significant upgrades to their challengers.
At Sauber, the team introduced new elements to the front wing, rear corners and both front and rear suspension. The biggest change could come to the front wing, which the team suggested has been completely updated. According to the team's car presentation submission:[t]Updated geometry aimed at improving front tire flow structure. This has a positive effect on the flow field further downstream of the car, increasing both the car's overall downforce and aerodynamics. ”
Sauber is still aiming for its first points of the 2024 season. driver Valtteri Bottas said earlier this week. SB Nation In an exclusive discussion, he said he hopes the upgrades will help the team's performance. “We've got some new elements on the car for this weekend that we hope will help the performance and I really hope we can perform better than what we've done in recent events.” said Bottas earlier this week.
At Haas, the American-based team made changes to the floor, rear corners, engine cover and cooling louvers. But perhaps the most interesting change to the VF-24 is the shape of the sidepod inlets. Haas changed the “undercut” in the sidepods to make them deeper and improve airflow. According to the team, “Increased undercuts below the sidepod intakes promote clean airflow towards the rear of the car. Combined with the revised floor, the overall performance of the car is more balanced. It will improve.”
You can see the new side pod inlet here:
including dialogue with the media, SB Nationon Thursday, driver Nico Hulkenberg expressed optimism that the upgrade would work well for Haas through most of the 2024 F1 season.
However, the two teams that have everyone's attention in the paddock are Mercedes and McLaren. Speaking to the media on Thursday, George Russell said the three-week hiatus had given Mercedes time to “evaluate the whole car” and believed the upgrades would get him back into contention, especially in qualifying. He said that Mercedes has changed the W14's front wing, front suspension, floor edges and fences, side pods and engine cover.
The changes to the front wing include “changes to the torsion distribution of the flaps, which the team says will reduce the front wing wake and improve flow to the rear of the car and rear downforce.”
Secondly, there are changes at championship leader McLaren. McLaren has made changes to the front wing, front and rear corners, front suspension and beam wing.
The upgrades that many people are interested in are front wing and suspension upgrades. McLaren described the changes to the front wing as a “new front wing shape” and said:[t]The new front wing geometry works in conjunction with the updated front suspension geometry to improve flow regulation under different conditions, resulting in improved aerodynamic loads. ”
The latest front suspension builds on these changes, with McLaren saying: “The new front suspension incorporates a new front wing shape, aimed at maximizing the improved flow characteristics it brings. It is designed around.''
This is the look of an upgraded McLaren using Google Chrome Paint. The scheme the team is using in Austin:
Will these upgrades come to fruition? That question begins to be answered in a single weekend practice session, but only in a matter of moments.
