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Azerbaijan GP: Latest F1 2021 technical images from Baku

Join us as we delve into the latest technical developments from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku, courtesy of Giorgio Piola and Sutton Images.

Mercedes W12 diffuser detail

Mercedes W12 diffuser detail

Giorgio Piola

Giorgio Piola's F1 technical analysis

Giorgio Piola is the preeminent Formula 1 technical journalist. View our full selection of Giorgio's technical illustrative content

Click on the arrows in the images to scroll through them…

Red Bull Racing RB16B rear wing detail

Red Bull Racing RB16B rear wing detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Red Bull arrived in Baku with a new rear wing, which will undoubtedly go some way to countering the claims over how flexible its wing has been this season. The new design features a more aggressive spoon shaping on the mainplane and a very simple endplate design, devoid of the stepped rear cutout and louvered hanging strakes.
Red Bull Racing RB16B rear wing detail

Red Bull Racing RB16B rear wing detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

The RB16B’s rear wing top flap doesn’t have a gurney flap installed and the trailing edge has been shaped in accordance with the spoon-shaping of the mainplane too.
Mercedes W12 diffuser detail

Mercedes W12 diffuser detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

The rear end of the Mercedes W12 is packed with detail, with the diffuser, rear brake duct winglets, lower T-Wing small cooling outlet and the hollowed out upright all visible in this shot.
Red Bull Racing RB16B brake drum detail

Red Bull Racing RB16B brake drum detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Red Bull has been toying with different options for the brake duct inlet over recent races with configuration of the spars in the upper section adjusted. For Baku, it has split it vertically and horizontally to drive air into the necessary channels.
Mercedes W12 brake duct detail

Mercedes W12 brake duct detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Having made changes to suspension elements and brake ducts for Monaco, Mercedes returned to the usual configuration for Baku.
Ferrari SF21 end plate detail

Ferrari SF21 end plate detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Ferrari has cut down a section of the front wing’s top flap’s trailing edge for Baku, in order to reduce downforce and drag (see the section just left of the adjuster).
Alpine A521 front wing flap detail

Alpine A521 front wing flap detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Alpine has also cut down the trailing edge of the upper flap on the front wing, while also addressing the shape of the flap tips in order to reshape the Y250 vortex differently.
Alpine A521 detail

Alpine A521 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

Hidden behind the alignment rig we can see some of the detail of the bargeboard cluster including the series of fins with a distinctive silver finish.
Ferrari SF21 detail

Ferrari SF21 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

Another angle of the Ferrari front wing showing how the top flap has been trimmed down.
McLaren MCL35M detail

McLaren MCL35M detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A shot of McLaren’s front brake assembly during the build phase which makes it easy to see the skeleton of the upright buried beneath all the carbonfibre pipework
Aston Martin AMR21 detail

Aston Martin AMR21 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

The rear end of the AMR21 with the pipework wrapped around the caliper clearly visible. Also note the small yellow dots on the rear wing that the FIA will use to evaluate the rotation of the wings from onboard rear facing camera footage this weekend.
Red Bull Racing RB16B detail

Red Bull Racing RB16B detail

Photo by: Uncredited

Sergio Perez’s RB16B during the build shows some of the detail normally hidden away beneath the covers.
Red Bull Racing RB16B detail

Red Bull Racing RB16B detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A close-up view of the inboard suspension elements on the RB16B.
Red Bull Racing RB16B detail

Red Bull Racing RB16B detail

Photo by: Uncredited

The saddle cooler arrangement on the RB16B has been a staple of the Honda power unit arrangement since it returned to the sport.
Red Bull Racing RB16B detail

Red Bull Racing RB16B detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A close up of the rear brake and suspension assembly without the drum gives an idea of where some of the air collected by the inlet is dispersed. Also note the flow through channel in the upright extension that was added toward the end of last season and has been modified further this season.
Mercedes W12 detail

Mercedes W12 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A good shot of the equipment housed in the lower half of the left-hand sidepod of the Mercedes W12.
Mercedes W12 detail

Mercedes W12 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A look at the equipment in the right-hand sidepod of the Mercedes W12.
Williams FW43B detail

Williams FW43B detail

Photo by: Uncredited

The Williams FW43B with the engine cover bodywork off gives us a great view of the Mercedes power unit and its ancillaries.
Haas VF-21 detail

Haas VF-21 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A great overview of the Haas VF-21’s front end, including the inboard suspension and the front brake assembly. Note that without the carbon pipework attached we can see the brake caliper ventilation.
Alfa Romeo Racing C41 detail

Alfa Romeo Racing C41 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

The rear wing on the Alfa Romeo C41 doesn’t have a Gurney attached to the trailing edge of the upper flap, in order to reduce some drag that would ordinarily be created by it.
Mercedes W12 detail

Mercedes W12 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A shot of the Mercedes W12 front brake assembly without the drum attached gives a good idea of where the airflow that’s collected by the inlet is sent, be it to cool components or to offer aerodynamic assistance.
Alfa Romeo Racing C41 detail

Alfa Romeo Racing C41 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

The top hat drum arrangement on the Alfa Romeo C41 exposes the brake disc.
Alfa Romeo Racing C41 detail

Alfa Romeo Racing C41 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

The rear brake assembly on the Alfa Romeo C41 without the drum attached gives us a clear picture of how the airflow is fed from the inlet to the brake caliper. Also note how Alfa has hung a small fin from the main brake winglet.
Alfa Romeo Racing C41 detail

Alfa Romeo Racing C41 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

A close up of the Alfa Romeo C41’s inboard front suspension, with the heave element dominating proceedings.
Alfa Romeo Racing C41 detail

Alfa Romeo Racing C41 detail

Photo by: Uncredited

Another look at the C41’s rear wing but this time we can see the team has returned to the endplate specification used everywhere but Monaco, with the leading-edge element displaced from the rest of the endplate.
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