Giorgio Piola's F1 technical analysis
Day 2: F1 2020 testing tech updates, direct from Barcelona
Giorgio Piola and Sutton Images bring you an update of the best technical images from the Barcelona pitlane and track action on the second day of Formula 1 testing in 2020.
Click on the arrows to cycle through the images below...
McLaren MCL35 detail
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The McLaren MCL35 with a complex kiel probe array mounted within their airbox, measuring airflow into the structure to make sure it’s receiving the amount of airflow that was anticipated.
Ferrari SF1000 rear detail
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The Ferrari SF1000 with flo-viz painted on the diffuser as the team tries to identify any flow inconsistencies and make sure it’s performing as anticipated.
Ferrari SF1000 front wing detail
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The SF1000 has also been outfitted with additional measuring equipment on the front wing during the second day of testing. These sensors, mounted on the outer portions and the centre of the wing measure ground clearance, in order that the team can check how much the wing is flexing.
Alex Albon, Red Bull Racing RB16
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The Red Bull RB15 with large kiel probe rakes mounted behind the front wheels. Note how the frequency of the kiel probe changes at the base of the rake and the stanchions in the centre and above the wheel.
Ferrari SF1000 side floor detail
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
A small kiel probe array is mounted on the floor of the Ferrari SF1000, measuring airflow across the surface as it travels into the ‘coke bottle’ region.
Racing Point RP20 in the garage
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
This image of the Racing Point RP20 with the wheels off gives us a great view of the some aspects of the car that are often obscured, such as the bargeboards and splitter.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The McLaren MCL35 with a large kiel probe rake on the rear of the car, oopsie on the taller stanchion though, which obviously wasn’t designed to take such abuse, as it’s fallen over.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF1000
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
A nice action shot of the Ferrari SF1000 gives us a great view of the cars bargeboard arrangement, with special attention being drawn to the shape of the two boomerangs.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF1000
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Another action shot of the SF1000, this time with the front wing sensors in place that we’ve already talked about but, also note the additional camera housed on the left-hand side of the airbox (the right side as you look at it).
George Russell, Williams FW43
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The Williams FW43 circulated with a pair of kiel probe rakes behind the front wheels during the morning session.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
A different angle of the McLaren MCL35 outfitted with the pair of kiel probe rakes at the rear.
Alexander Albon, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
The Red Bull RB16 not only had kiel probe rakes behind the rear wheels but also one inside the airbox too.
Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo Racing C39
Photo by: Steven Tee / Motorsport Images
The Alfa Romeo C39 with kiel probe rakes behind the front wheels measuring the wake created by the front tyre in order that they can establish a map of the airflow.
Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri AT01
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The Alpha Tauri also had kiel probe rakes placed behind the front wheels to take measurements
Mercedes F1 W11 EQ Power+, rear wing
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The Mercedes W11 outfitted with kiel probe rakes on the rear of the car, measuring airflow ahead of the rear tyre and over the sidepods and engine cover.
Sergio Perez, Racing Point RP20
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Perez behind the wheel of another raked up racer, all whilst a set of soft tyres appear to be a little angry with him.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF1000
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
A brilliant action shot of the Ferrari SF1000 with the rear wing tip vortices visible.
Daniel Ricciardo, Renault R.S.20
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
More rear wing tip vortex action, this time on the Renault RS20.
Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo Racing C39
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Having ditched the kiel probe rakes, Alfa moved onto some flo-viz evaluation, painting the left-hand side of the car with oil based paint in order to correlate the real world airflow behaviour with the simulations done at the factory ahead of time.
Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo Racing C39
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Another view of the Alfa Romeo C39 smothered in flo-viz.
Alex Albon, Red Bull Racing RB16
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
The Red Bull RB16 with a single horizontal row of kiel probes mounted just ahead of the rear wing.
Sergio Perez, Racing Point RP20
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
The Racing Point RP19 still sporting its bullet-shaped airbox pods which enclose additional infra-red cameras to monitor and map tyre performance.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Lando Norris at the wheel of the MCL35 with flo-viz paint on the two-element T-Wing arrangement.
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Norris took the car out for a run without the T-Wings too.
Front wing aero detail of Alfa Romeo Racing C39
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
A close up of Alfa Romeo’s front wing and the metal stays used to maintain the slot gaps and overall wing rigidity.
Wing mirror aero detail on Alfa Romeo Racing C39
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
A close-up of the Alfa Romeo’s sidepod, showing off the shape of their inlet and that they’ve lowered and brought forward their side impact spar that’s now housed in the lower sidepod bodywork.
Steering wheel of Alfa Romeo Racing C39
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
A good look at the Alfa Romeo C39’s steering wheel, noting the three main rotaries in the centre of the wheel, the various buttons and thumb rotaries.
Alex Albon, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
A good look at the Red Bull Rb16 as it not only compresses at the rear under load but also has flo-viz painted on the rear wing.
Alex Albon, Red Bull Racing
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
In this image Red Bull is taking a two-pronedg attack on the flo-viz with a green paint used on the left and a lighter blue one on the right.
Aero detail on Alfa Romeo Racing C39
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
Some close-up aerodynamic detail here with the Sauber C39 hedgehog vanes atop the bargeboard visible, whilst their fresh turning vane design is shown in the background.
Ferrari SF1000 front brake
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Ferrari’s front brake duct which emits as much airflow as possible out through the wheel rim for aerodynamic gain.
Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes AMG F1 W11
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
A top-down overview of the Mercedes W11 gives us a great view of the extremely complex bargeboard region.
Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes F1 W11
Photo by: Glenn Dunbar / Motorsport Images
Another top-down view of the W11, this time out on track and with flo-viz paint on the front suspension elements.
Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo Racing C39 with aero paint
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images
A really good view of the flo-viz on the Alfa Romeo C39 and how it’s transmitted down the side of the chassis as the airflow moves over the car.
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Where the big three teams show their might at Barcelona
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Author | Giorgio Piola |
| Session | Date | Content | |
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