Austrian GP: F1 technical developments from the pitlane

Mercedes W13 nose and front wing detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A collection of front wings nest outside the Mercedes garage as the team prepares its cars for action at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Mercedes W13 front wing detail

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Notably the front wing endplate diveplane remains in the lower position it was mounted in Silverstone. Also note the adjuster, which is mounted in the outboard section with the intent of offering some aerodynamic service.

Mercedes W13 detail

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A closeup of the wing mirror and the various flow conditioning surfaces mounted in its vicinity to help offset any inefficiencies it might otherwise yield.

Mercedes W13 detail

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A peek inside the sidepod, as the bodywork has yet to be mounted – note the lower side impact spar is peeping out beneath the intake.

Mercedes W13 brake drum detail

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As first seen at Silverstone, it appears that Mercedes has changed tack with the design of the front brake drum, switching from a closed variant to a design more intent on allowing airflow to have the capacity to move around in the void between it and the wheel rim. This will also allow for an interchange of heat between brakes and wheel rim, as was so critical for tyre management in the previous era of regulations.

Mercedes W13 brake drum detail

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Another angle of the W13’s brake assembly to help highlight how the various surfaces intertwine, whilst it’s notable that the outer wall of the drum is not perpendicular either.

Red Bull Racing RB18 detail

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Peeking into the Red Bull garage we’re treated to a great view of the RB18’s saddle cooler arrangement, with the cooler mounted astride the power unit and further ductwork placed around it to help manage the airflow's passage.

Red Bull Racing RB18 rear detail

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We’re also able to get a look at the rear wing assembly, which uses a single central mounting pillar with an exhaust surround mounted to the top of the crash structure. Also note the shape of the endplate, as it has a wider section at the top, around the wing elements, before tapering down towards the floor.

Red Bull Racing RB18 brake drum detail

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The RB18 is prepared with the closed brake drum assemblies both front and rear.

Mercedes W13 detail

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A floor is carried into the garage by the Mercedes mechanics as it prepares the cars for action.

Mercedes W13 floor detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

The floor has several points upon it where internal stays can be mounted, both centrally (circled) and in-line with the gearbox/crash structure just rearward of this too.

Ferrari F1-75 brake drum detail

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Without the brake drum attached we can see some of the pipework and channels being used to maneuver airflow to certain parts of the assembly.

Ferrari F1-75 brake drum detail

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A look at the rear brake assembly during construction, which also highlights the design of the inboard winglets.

McLaren MCL36 brake drum detail

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McLaren’s internal brake shroud solution is used to help manage temperatures and reduce the airflow’s migration.

McLaren MCL36 detail

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A closeup of the MCL36’s bulkhead, including the brake reservoirs, steering assembly and some inboard suspension elements.

McLaren MCL36 rear detail

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An overview of the MCL36’s rear end, including the high-shouldered central cooling outlet, spoon-shaped rear wing and the internal detail of the pipework that delivers cool air to the brake caliper.

Alpine A522 nose detail

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Under the Alpine A522’s nose vanity panel we find the internal crash structure and the printer ribbon cable-like ducting that feeds the driver cooling pipework.

Alpine A522 detail

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A great shot of the Alpine floor and the strakes that are arranged on the leading edge of the tunnel.

Alpine A522 detail

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Under the Alpine A522’s chassis we can see the scythe-shaped metal stay used to bridge the gap to the bib.

Alpine A522 brake drum detail

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Alpine uses a long but narrow inlet to collect airflow to cool the brakes. The placement of the mechanic’s hand in this photo also shows that the forward section of the end fence has a gap between it and the inlet to allow airflow captured between the sidewall of the tyre and it a route to take.

Alpine A522 brake drum detail

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Inside the brake drum bodywork a surround is used for the caliper, which in Alpine’s case is housed at 3 o’clock and has teardrop-shaped outlets to allow airflow to travel through the assembly.

AlphaTauri AT03 brake drum detail

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AlphaTauri’s front brake assembly without the drum attached gives us an idea of how the airflow is moved to the various components within. Also note the tape used to block off some of the inlet to reduce the airflow’s passage.

AlphaTauri AT03 brake drum detail

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The view from the other side of the AT03’s front brake assembly shows the brake disc fairing and the pipework that’s delivering cool air to the rest of the components.

Aston Martin AMR22 brake drum detail

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Early in the assembly stage we get a great view of the skeleton-style brake caliper on the Aston Martin AMR22. Like Alpine, the caliper is mounted in the 3 o’clock position and has holes in the caliper to allow for airflow to travel through it, along with the teardrop-shaped holes in the caliper cover.