After a sprint interlude, Formula 1 returns to its regular update program this weekend in Silverstone. It may be the last race in a three-race package, but it is also a home race for the majority with short journeys from the factory. Haas in particular is attracting attention with a large package. At Red Bull, only one driver is getting new parts.
RedBull: The upper surface of the underbody has been optimized to generate more energy on the wing in the side edge. The profile of the Edge Wing has been slightly adjusted to match this. It is not a gigantic update, you expect it to be in the region of half a tenth. But you take everything, and you take it as quickly as possible. That’s why there is only one example for Max Verstappen on the track. Sergio Perez drives the old underbody.
Mercedes: For the high-speed Silverstone circuit, a package with less downforce is activated for the first time. This consists of a trimmed front wing, a rear wing with reduced curvature to relieve the main element, and smaller brake cooling ducts at the front. The only general performance update is a new arrangement of the upper lip of the rear brake cooling.
McLaren: McLaren is also using the smaller aero package for fast tracks for the first time in Silverstone. This basically only includes a lightened rear wing with less air resistance. But this is complemented by three new variations of the beam wing – high, medium and low load. All three are designed specifically for the smaller rear wing. An additional outlet for cooling has also been created on the engine cover.
AstonMartin: The front shape of the elements has been adjusted to improve load distribution across the span and airflow to the rear. On the rear brake cooling duct, an external element on the lip has been replaced with a doubled design, which is intended to improve airflow around the rear wheel and thus the efficiency of the surrounding parts.
Racing Bulls: After the test weekend in Austria, a mixture of old and new parts will now be fitted to the car in Silverstone. The difficult Barcelona update should thus be sorted out. The only new feature is the possibility of removing the winglet on the halo, which can sometimes be relevant in conjunction with the rear wing.
Clean: A small adjustment to the underbody includes an alternative trim of the guide elements at the front of the underbody channels, which is intended to optimize the air flow to the rear.
Haas: The biggest, and hopefully best for the team, comes last. The Haas package is massive. First of all, it includes a completely new underbody. A new geometry changes the airflow and provides more load. It requires newly positioned front control elements, as the direction of the area of influence is different due to the new expansion area behind it. This new area also requires an adapted side edge including the edge wing. This area in itself should also be a step forward.
Above, Haas is the fourth team after Red Bull, McLaren and Ferrari to switch to an overbite for the sidepod air intake, where the upper lip is now pushed forward. The entire sidepod geometry has been adapted to this. As a bonus, this allows the placement of additional cooling gills.
Paired with the sidepod, the rearview mirror mount is repositioned to match the airflow. Finally, all of these changes to the sidepod and underbody require a new geometry and position of components on the rear brake cooling to fully benefit from the adjustments.