F1 tech: A close look at Aston’s Martin’s controversial upgrades


However, there are a few other changes, both big and small, that set it apart from the car that was last unveiled in Miami.

Firstly, the team has introduced a new rear wing configuration, with the responsibility of increasing downforce for challenges posed by both Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and Monaco that the wings they already had at their disposal would not have solved. .

The design is more closely aligned with that used in Bahrain, with the elements filling more of the legality box and with a steeper angle as well.

The team has also used different downforce offerings at the other circuits, with a scoop-shaped design to help reduce downforce and drag at both Jeddah and Miami, with a more conventional shape preferred at Imola.

Aston Martin AMR22 rear wing comparison

Aston Martin AMR22 rear wing comparison

Photo by: Uncredited

There have also been several changes to the halo and its fairing, including the change from green paint on the front section to black, which begs the question why it didn’t choose to save even more weight and just go carbon fiber. .

The team has also fitted a new pair of fins to the upper rear section of the halo for FP1 which they removed during the session (red arrow), while another fin has been added in front of the rear mount (blue arrow), which is likely to be an upgrade based on the side wing that has been raised and lowered from the car during the first few races (purple arrow).

Aston Martin AMR22 Halo Spoilers

Aston Martin AMR22 Halo Spoilers

Photo by: Uncredited

Lowering the car, the first elements we come across that have all the hallmarks of the Red Bull RB18’s design philosophy is Aston Martin’s switch to the double outer deck strake design which, until now, had been exclusive to Red Bull.

In addition to being stacked side by side, they also feature a staggered design before transitioning to the floor, which should produce vortices that interact with each other and increase performance locally and downstream.

Also read:
Aston Martin AMR22 side detail

Aston Martin AMR22 side detail

Photo by: Jorge Piola

By far the biggest change made by Aston Martin in Spain is the sidepods, as it becomes the first team to do a U-turn and produce something similar to another challenger in the quest for more performance.

The challenges posed by such an undertaking should also not be underestimated, as it has required not only a streamlined rethinking of external surfaces, but also adaptation of the internal design of heat exchangers, electronics and accessories housed within the pontoons.

In its original appearance, the AMR22’s (inset) sidepod internals were much more reclined, resulting in the “hanging” sidepod bodywork solution that provided a large indentation for airflow to make an unobstructed trip through along the side of the car.

To better manage airflow at the rear of the car, the designers also incorporated large cooling vents into the top surface of the sidepod.

Aston Martin AMR22 Radiator Design Comparison

Aston Martin AMR22 Radiator Design Comparison

Photo by: Jorge Piola

The new configuration largely eliminates this layout, as the internal components have been reoriented, with the heat exchangers tilted to take a more conventional position in the interior.

As a consequence, the intake has also been pushed back, which the team hopes will still provide the flow needed to cool the internals, but also influence external airflow more effectively.

Contributing to this is the team’s focus on the shape of the bodywork surrounding the intake, with an overall design clearly influenced by the Red Bull RB18 but requiring its own interpretation to extract the performance it seeks. For example, the RB18 has an extended lip in front of the intake, creating an open top, increasing the volume of air that can be captured, but the AMR22 version does not.

The sidepod’s shoulder also has a sharper surface than its Red Bull counterpart, as Aston designers find their own way to push the wake of the tire laterally it meets.

There is some similarity in the design of the rear view mirror housing, the stems, and the auxiliary fins that grow from them. But whereas the RB18’s rearview mirror straddles the outer edge of the sidepod, the AMR22’s doesn’t: it remains independent of it.

The large front undercut and descending Z-shaped contour seen on the Red Bull sidepods are also present on the Aston Martin, which bleeds into another region where we can now see similarities between the two: the edge of the floor.

Aston Martin had already deployed an edge wing at the most central point of the floor, but it has been transformed to align with the new wider waist of the sidepods and features a slot in front of a wavy section before the floor narrows in front of the rear tire .

It’s also worth noting that while much of the heat rejection work now falls to the enlarged rear cooling outlet, the team still has the option of opening up the cooling on the side of the car, with a similar layout to Red Bull. employed here once again. .

Just as Red Bull has done, there are also options for how much of those cooling gills need to be opened so that aerodynamic performance isn’t compromised.

Aston Martin AMR22 body detail

Aston Martin AMR22 body detail

Photo by: Jorge Piola

Aston Martin AMR22 rear detail

Aston Martin AMR22 rear detail

Photo by: Jorge Piola

Also read:



Reference-www.motorsport.com

Leave a Comment