As part of this continued push, a revised beam wing layout was on the menu for the Japanese Grand Prix, with the team looking to customize its setup for the demands of the Suzuka layout.
It’s a subtle change, especially when you consider the scale of the update unveiled in Singapore, but yet deemed essential.
Sebastian Vettel, helped by the influx of parts, was able to force his way into Q3 for the first time since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while a strong race performance kept the German ahead of the Fernando Alonso’s A522 as they took the checkered flag.
As is the case from top to bottom of the grille, and as can be seen in the main image above, Aston Martin has designed their rear wing in such a way that the specification of the wing is not linked to a specific rear wing. Mechanics are able to disassemble the lower part of the wing from the upper part.
This method has some disadvantages, in terms of wing design and weight, but it means that modifications can be made without having to carry a full suite of different wings to each site, making it a more versatile option. and more profitable.
Aston Martin AMR22 Floor Comparison
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The floor that arrived in Singapore also remained for the Japanese GP and marks a shift in the team’s focus towards floor edge design.
Clearly the layout has been changed quite significantly, with the various red arrows indicating where the most relevant changes have taken place (old spec inset).
The use of a Gurney flap in the front section of the floor edge kicks things off, with the protruding section subsequently undergoing a significant transformation. As the floor tapers towards the rear tire, the introduction of a cut-out, floating fender was also favoured.
It’s a solution we’ve seen before on cars like the Ferrari F1-75 and Red Bull RB18, with the flap likely connected to an “ice skate” edge wing, as has been the case on the arrangements of his rivals.
Using this flap, in conjunction with a raised floor section just after the cutout, will help develop desirable flow structures to help combat tire spit. This is a phenomenon caused by the rotation and deformation of the tire which, if not controlled, can deprive the diffuser of its performance.
Alfa Romeo C42 front wing detail
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Aston Martin’s closest rival Alfa Romeo currently sits sixth in the constructors’ championship, a huge improvement from ninth place in 2021.
However, a series of pointless finishes left him under threat from Aston Martin, which is why he also continued to make improvements.
For the Japanese GP, Alfa Romeo introduced a revised front wing layout, with a new endplate design and the two upper flaps swapped out for ones that offer a different ratio of adjustment.
While the team is obviously keen to help balance the car front to rear to match the performance found elsewhere on the car, they have also taken the opportunity to focus some of their efforts on flow management. .
This was achieved by adjusting the way the flaps connect to the bottom section of the endplate, with the shorter string elements not only slightly away from the endplate, but also twisting more as they approach.
This leaves a small gap between them and the trailing edge of the endplate (best seen in side view, below), which allowed designers to alter its shape.
As a result, the washout generated by the front wing will no doubt be different from the old specification wing and perhaps present opportunities for optimizations further downstream at a later date.
Alfa Romeo C42 front wing comparison
There are also changes to consider at the inner end of the wing which will alter its configuration range, helping to balance the car front to rear. As indicated by the green highlights, the top two flaps have been narrowed before the adjuster to allow some redistribution of the moving section, which should also result in a different regiment of flow around the nose.
Alpha Tauri AT03 rear wing comparison (Japan-France)
AlphaTauri continued its nose and front wing update at the Singapore Grand Prix with a new rear wing layout in Japan.
And, just as we’ve seen in the past, it was all about increasing the span of the rear wing to increase downforce, while measures were also taken to mitigate the amount of drag generated as a result.
In order to achieve these goals, the designers used a tighter transition in the arc between the main plane and the end plate (red arrow, Japan on the left, France on the right) and squared off the static upper outside corner section of the upper pane (green lines to be highlighted).
In order to mitigate any losses that might be associated with these tip vortex changes, he also increased the size of the top corner cutout in the endplate (blue arrow).
This is not a new design parameter for AlphaTauri, however, as it has applied it to both its low and high downforce configuration wings over the past few races.
Suzuka marked the first opportunity since France for the team to apply it to its medium-high downforce spoon-shaped wing setup.
For qualifying and the race, Pierre Gasly opted for the higher downforce rear wing, likely in response to the threat of rain on race day, while Yuki Tsunoda continued to use the new medium downforce arrangement -raised.
AlphaTauri has continued to use the new spec nose in Japan, which as we can see from the illustration of the two solutions below is quite a drastic change from what was before.
Comparison of Ferrari F1-75 pontoons
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Ferrari made changes to its floor at the Japanese Grand Prix, having assessed in recent races the merits of the updated version originally introduced at the French Grand Prix.
After validating the performance of the new floor spec, its latest variant continues on the same development path, with changes to the floor strakes, subfloor design and arguably flexibility at certain points in the floor. thanks to the repositioning of the metal. living room upstairs.
The main change to the front of the floor assembly is to the outer floor fence, with a larger cutout at its base used.
It would also appear that the bib length, bib divider and wing, as well as its orientation, have all been changed as part of the update.
These changes will impact local flow patterns and alleviate the ride height sensitivity issues that have emerged since the Belgian Grand Prix. But, more importantly, it changes the way the airflow is configured downstream.
This is where we cannot show the changes, as they reside underground and out of our sight.
However, we have seen other teams add ridges to the subfloor near the ice skate to further improve its aerodynamic capabilities and find additional performance through the underfloor tunnels and diffuser.
Having previously been stretched to the outer section of the floor, the metal bracket has been shortened and mounted to the ramped section of the floor just inside.
This should give more range to the floor section in front of the rear tire and allow the team to use this flexibility to increase aerodynamic performance.
Notably, the carbon weave in this section has been changed (inset), suggesting the team is looking for additional benefits through its flexibility.
As part of this continued push, a revised beam wing layout was on the menu for the Japanese Grand Prix, with the team looking to customize its setup for the demands of the Suzuka layout.
It’s a subtle change, especially when you consider the scale of the update unveiled in Singapore, but yet deemed essential.
Sebastian Vettel, helped by the influx of parts, was able to force his way into Q3 for the first time since the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while a strong race performance kept the German ahead of the Fernando Alonso’s A522 as they took the checkered flag.
As is the case from top to bottom of the grille, and as can be seen in the main image above, Aston Martin has designed their rear wing in such a way that the specification of the wing is not linked to a specific rear wing. Mechanics are able to disassemble the lower part of the wing from the upper part.
This method has some disadvantages, in terms of wing design and weight, but it means that modifications can be made without having to carry a full suite of different wings to each site, making it a more versatile option. and more profitable.
Aston Martin AMR22 Floor Comparison
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The floor that arrived in Singapore also remained for the Japanese GP and marks a shift in the team’s focus towards floor edge design.
Clearly the layout has been changed quite significantly, with the various red arrows indicating where the most relevant changes have taken place (old spec inset).
The use of a Gurney flap in the front section of the floor edge kicks things off, with the protruding section subsequently undergoing a significant transformation. As the floor tapers towards the rear tire, the introduction of a cut-out, floating fender was also favoured.
It’s a solution we’ve seen before on cars like the Ferrari F1-75 and Red Bull RB18, with the flap likely connected to an “ice skate” edge wing, as has been the case on the arrangements of his rivals.
Using this flap, in conjunction with a raised floor section just after the cutout, will help develop desirable flow structures to help combat tire spit. This is a phenomenon caused by the rotation and deformation of the tire which, if not controlled, can deprive the diffuser of its performance.
Alfa Romeo C42 front wing detail
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Aston Martin’s closest rival Alfa Romeo currently sits sixth in the constructors’ championship, a huge improvement from ninth place in 2021.
However, a series of pointless finishes left him under threat from Aston Martin, which is why he also continued to make improvements.
For the Japanese GP, Alfa Romeo introduced a revised front wing layout, with a new endplate design and the two upper flaps swapped out for ones that offer a different ratio of adjustment.
While the team is obviously keen to help balance the car front to rear to match the performance found elsewhere on the car, they have also taken the opportunity to focus some of their efforts on flow management. .
This was achieved by adjusting the way the flaps connect to the bottom section of the endplate, with the shorter string elements not only slightly away from the endplate, but also twisting more as they approach.
This leaves a small gap between them and the trailing edge of the endplate (best seen in side view, below), which allowed designers to alter its shape.
As a result, the washout generated by the front wing will no doubt be different from the old specification wing and perhaps present opportunities for optimizations further downstream at a later date.
Alfa Romeo C42 front wing comparison
There are also changes to consider at the inner end of the wing which will alter its configuration range, helping to balance the car front to rear. As indicated by the green highlights, the top two flaps have been narrowed before the adjuster to allow some redistribution of the moving section, which should also result in a different regiment of flow around the nose.
Alpha Tauri AT03 rear wing comparison (Japan-France)
AlphaTauri continued its nose and front wing update at the Singapore Grand Prix with a new rear wing layout in Japan.
And, just as we’ve seen in the past, it was all about increasing the span of the rear wing to increase downforce, while measures were also taken to mitigate the amount of drag generated as a result.
In order to achieve these goals, the designers used a tighter transition in the arc between the main plane and the end plate (red arrow, Japan on the left, France on the right) and squared off the static upper outside corner section of the upper pane (green lines to be highlighted).
In order to mitigate any losses that might be associated with these tip vortex changes, he also increased the size of the top corner cutout in the endplate (blue arrow).
This is not a new design parameter for AlphaTauri, however, as it has applied it to both its low and high downforce configuration wings over the past few races.
Suzuka marked the first opportunity since France for the team to apply it to its medium-high downforce spoon-shaped wing setup.
For qualifying and the race, Pierre Gasly opted for the higher downforce rear wing, likely in response to the threat of rain on race day, while Yuki Tsunoda continued to use the new medium downforce arrangement -raised.
AlphaTauri has continued to use the new spec nose in Japan, which as we can see from the illustration of the two solutions below is quite a drastic change from what was before.
Comparison of Ferrari F1-75 pontoons
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Ferrari made changes to its floor at the Japanese Grand Prix, having assessed in recent races the merits of the updated version originally introduced at the French Grand Prix.
After validating the performance of the new floor spec, its latest variant continues on the same development path, with changes to the floor strakes, subfloor design and arguably flexibility at certain points in the floor. thanks to the repositioning of the metal. living room upstairs.
The main change to the front of the floor assembly is to the outer floor fence, with a larger cutout at its base used.
It would also appear that the bib length, bib divider and wing, as well as its orientation, have all been changed as part of the update.
These changes will impact local flow patterns and alleviate the ride height sensitivity issues that have emerged since the Belgian Grand Prix. But, more importantly, it changes the way the airflow is configured downstream.
This is where we cannot show the changes, as they reside underground and out of our sight.
However, we have seen other teams add ridges to the subfloor near the ice skate to further improve its aerodynamic capabilities and find additional performance through the underfloor tunnels and diffuser.
Having previously been stretched to the outer section of the floor, the metal bracket has been shortened and mounted to the ramped section of the floor just inside.
This should give more range to the floor section in front of the rear tire and allow the team to use this flexibility to increase aerodynamic performance.
Notably, the carbon weave in this section has been changed (inset), suggesting the team is looking for additional benefits through its flexibility.