TECHNICAL ANALYSIS - 2015 DEVELOPMENTS

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F1 2015



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17 Feb 2015. McLaren MP4-30 - reshaped brake ducts

McLaren, like Ferrari, have opted for a very long and low nose concept on their 2015 car, which is designed to work in tandem with the Red Bull-style front wing seen briefly in Abu Dhabi at the end of last season. Another interesting feature at the front of the MP4-30 are the brake ducts (see circled area), which utilise an unusual shape in order to improve cooling efficiency - something that could be an important factor this year as the cars are expected to be faster than in 2014. McLaren, like Ferrari and Red Bull, also utilise blown wheel hubs. The idea of these is to bleed airflow from the brake duct through a duct in the centre of the axle to not only improve cooling efficiency, but also to improve airflow around the front tyres.
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23 Feb 2015. Lotus E23 Hybrid - unique air intake configuration

One of the stand-out features on Lotus's new E23 Hybrid is the airbox design, which is quite revolutionary. As has been the trend in recent years, it features multiple cooling inlets - but unlike other teams who have tended to place these either above or beside the main engine air intake (see insets), Lotus have situated theirs much lower down the roll hoop structure. Positioning them in this way should be much more efficient, resulting in both a reduction in drag and a smoother passage of airflow to the rear wing.
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24 Feb 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - reconfigured front suspension

Mercedes' 2015 machine is best described as a radical evolution of last year's all conquering car, with the major differences all in the detail. An example is the front suspension: while the lower wishbone retains the unique wide plane shape used on the F1 W05 (which helped direct airflow behind the front wheel), the top wishbone is totally different from last year. Not only is it slimmer than in 2014, it no longer incorporates the steering link, which (as indicated by the red arrows) has been moved down in front of the lower wishbone plane to lower the centre of gravity.
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27 Feb 2015. Red Bull RB11 - New rear suspension uprights

Suspension arms and their attachments to the upright are becoming more and more integral to an F1 car's aero package, and nowhere is this more evident than on Red Bull's new RB11.

On the team's 2015 machine, the plate to fix the top wishbone to the upright is not only wider, it also has a plane profile to work in synergy with the rear brake duct. As the image shows, this helps improve airflow around the rear tyres (blue arrows), whilst the brake duct itself aids the extraction of the hot air from the brakes (red arrows).

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05 Mar 2015. McLaren MP4-30 - Honda power unit layout

Before their return to F1 racing with McLaren this year, there was plenty of speculation about how Honda would choose to lay out their new RA615H power unit.

The assumption was that the Japanese company would follow Mercedes’ ultra-successful approach of positioning the compressor (highlighted in blue) and turbine (highlighted in red) at either ends of the internal combustion engine with the MGU-H (upper green component) in the middle.

The big advantage of this layout, as opposed to the approach used by Renault and Ferrari - who chose to put the compressor and turbine next to each other and the MGU-H at the rear of the engine - was that it reduced the unit’s cooling requirement whilst improving overall efficiency.

Honda, however, have chosen to follow a different approach to all three manufacturers, positioning the MGU-H between the compressor and turbine at the rear of the engine, and the MGU-K at the front. Whether this unique solution proves to be an ace up McLaren’s sleeve, or indeed something of a hindrance, remains to be seen.

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06 Mar 2015. Sauber C34 - new rear wing

At the second pre-season test of 2015 in Barcelona, Sauber introduced a new rear wing with curved endplates. The thinking behind using a profile like this, which is a more extreme version of what McLaren introduced at last year's race in Germany, is to help better manage the drag from the rear wing.
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06 Mar 2015. Williams FW37 - stub nose

In order to improve the look of the cars, new rules have been introduced this season which state that the cross sectional area of the nose must be at least 9,000 mm2, broadening to 20,000 mm2 further back.

However, whilst this has consigned the ugly protruding noses of 2014 to history, there are still variations in the approaches teams have taken. As pictured, Williams have kept a 9,000 mm2 'stub' at the front of their nose cone, an approach in contrast to most other teams. Using a stub such as this should improve airflow underneath the nose and central section of the car towards the diffuser at the rear.

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14 Mar 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - latest front wing

Like Mercedes, the Italian team have been asked to replace the arched camera mounting (inset) with a more linear support. On top of this, all of the wing’s major components are different, including the main plane, the additional small fins on the outside of the endplates, the upper flaps and the single vertical fin (in black).
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15 Mar 2015. Red Bull RB11 - experimental rear wing

Red Bull first trialled a new rear wing in pre-season testing at Barcelona, and they brought the same concept to Melbourne - although they decided to only use it in practice. It features new endplates, with a new unique slot section (highlighted in yellow) created by integrating the vertical gills with the topmost horizontal gill.
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15 Mar 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - updated nose section

Mercedes have made a change to the underneath of their nose section, which now has a ‘fat’ section (see arrow) on its underside that acts as an airflow passage. Mercedes have been able to make this alteration without having to homologate a new nose - the design is a cover of the original nose, meaning new crash tests were not required. The new section is fully integrated with the chassis.
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28 Mar 2015. Toro Rosso STR10 - unique rear wing attachment

Instead of a round design mimicking the shape of the exhaust, the vertical attachment structure (dotted line) goes inside the big pipe and is attached to the car’s deformable rear crash structure. There’s no doubt that it’s a lighter solution and one that doesn’t interfere with engine performance.
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28 Mar 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - blown front axle

In fact in 2015 there are three teams with the potential to use this device, which aids brake cooling and reduces drag: Red Bull (who were the first to introduce it), Ferrari and McLaren. The latter’s MP4-30 also has wider central hubs at the back, allowing the team to use the same wheel gun assembly front and rear.
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29 Mar 2015. Red Bull RB11 - S-duct

The duct allows airflow to pass from the underside to the top of the chassis. As you can see in the comparison with last year’s layout (small inset), the duct on the RB11 has a more compact and sophisticated shape. Also different as a result is the position of the brake master cylinder inside the chassis.
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30 Mar 2015. McLaren MP4-30 - updated aero package

The duct is very similar to the one on the Red Bull and the Force India (the other two teams using such a device this season). The only major difference is in the use of two (rather than one) separate channels to divert the airflow from the bottom to the top of the chassis. Also on the MP4-30 in Malaysia were a new front wing and new sidepods fins (with three fins instead of two).
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11 Apr 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - oil tank position

On the SF15-T the oil tank is back in the conventional position – in front of the engine (1). However, the intercooler has been kept in the same place as last year (2). The exhausts (3), meanwhile, have been completely revised in order to maintain the best compromise between engine power and heat exchange feed to the MGU-H.
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12 Apr 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - revised front wing

The main differences are in the shape of the section closest to the endplate, with a more square-edged arch. In total there are five elements just ahead of the front tyre, designed to better divert airflow towards the outside of the wheel and reduce drag. This section is easy to spot in its original, unpainted carbon colour. Also new on the F1 W06 in Shanghai is the rear wing, featuring cuts in the flap in the sections close to the endplates.
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14 Apr 2015. Sauber C34 - new front wing

There is now a double vertical fin on the upper flap section, while the new endplates are very similar to those on the F1 W06 Hybrid, with a shorter outside fin. There are also more slots in the section of the flaps and main planes closest to the endplates in order to better manage airflow around the outside of the front tyres.
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18 Apr 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - cut rear wing

The flap’s chord is cut near to the endplate (red arrow). Also as in China, Mercedes have no monkey seat on the car here, in order to help achieve a better top speed - quite important at this track.
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19 Apr 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - exhaust/gearbox packaging

It enters through two oval openings in the sidewall of the case, and one large oval opening on the top - only visible in the drawing below (yellow oval) of the Ferrari-powered Sauber. The Swiss team use not only Ferrari’s power unit, but also their gearbox. This allows for a better exhaust package and a slightly lower centre of gravity at the rear of the car. And, of course, it’s a solution that nobody can copy this season.
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20 Apr 2015. Red Bull RB11 - front wing development

They added a small outside fin to the new endplate, similar to that seen on the Mercedes. The wing introduced in China was quite a big change compared to the previous iteration used in Malaysia (Sepang). The endplate is totally different: it no longer has holes in the lower section and features a single rear exit, again as on the Mercedes. The main plane is also different, with a stepped section on the outside (see red arrows).
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09 May 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - revised aero package

The updates (previous versions shown inset) were trialed by both drivers in Friday practice, but used only by Vettel for qualifying and the race. The most obvious difference is the more contoured shape to the top of the sidepods (1). Also new is the middle wing with a small fin (2) beside the cockpit. This is now separate from the vertical ‘boomerang’, which is also different in shape, particularly in its lower section (4). Finally here, the turning vanes have become more complex (3), with two vertical slots.
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10 May 2015. Red Bull RB11 - new nose

After needing no less than four FIA crash tests to homologate it, Red Bull finally introduced their new, shorter nose on the RB11 in Spain.

It’s not dissimilar to the Toro Rosso’s and is easily spotted by the much steeper angle of the front wing pillars compared to the old, long nose (inset). Note that the central section of the nose no longer interferes with the main profile. This new nose also moves the centre of pressure backwards and gives more downforce to the diffuser.

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10 May 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - rear diffuser updates

In Spain Ferrari introduced two small angled flaps on the curved sidewall section. And the top angled plane has had a little gurney flap added. Both are solutions never seen before, though in Bahrain McLaren introduced a reversed round shape (inset) in the same area.
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11 May 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - new sidepod air inlet

The most interesting new solution in Mercedes’ aero package in Spain was this small duct (blue arrow) in the new, narrower side pods on the F1 W06 Hybrid.

One may assume they are there for cooling purposes, but they may well also have an aero influence with the diffuser. Also note the two small winglets (top right of picture) just behind the exhaust, beside the deformable rear crash structure.

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23 May 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - Monaco monkey seat

For this season’s Monaco race, in order to achieve more downforce, Mercedes - like most teams - have increased the size of the monkey seat rear wing.

The world champions have basically adopted the double-decked design seen on their car in Singapore last year (inset). The only big difference in this area now is the use of a single-pillar wing support - last year’s F1 W05 had a double-pillar design.

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24 May 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - Monaco steering modifications

For the Monaco race teams therefore modify the steering angle from the norm of around 14 degrees to somewhere nearer 20. In order to do this both the upper and lower suspension wishbones must be cut to avoid contact with the wheel rim, as you can see in this Ferrari drawing.
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25 May 2015. McLaren MP4-30 / Ferrari SF15-T - vented brake drums

McLaren have been using the brake drums above with oval holes since the start of the season and in Monte Carlo Ferrari have adopted a similar solution on Sebastian Vettel’s car. In the drawing of the SF15-T below the round brake drum - or ‘cake tin’ as it is commonly known - is missing, allowing you to see the oval openings that have been added in front of the brake disc.
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27 May 2015. Force India VJM08 - brake caliper positioning

After more than half a decade of running with their front calipers ahead of the front axle (inset), Force India have moved to the more conventional positioning to the rear of the axle (main drawing).

The only obvious potential benefit of the team’s old layout was weight distribution. The major plus of the new one is better cooling of the caliper. This solution was tested in Barcelona recently and then raced on both cars in Monaco.

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07 Jun 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - Montreal engine cover

In Canada Mercedes have introduced a bonded section on the engine cover (upper drawing), that could be considered a minor development over the previous iteration (lower drawing).

In fact the bulge hides a larger radiator that improves cooling and therefore reliability, on a circuit where last year the team had a problem with the ERS overheating. Canada and the next round in Austria are the most severe venues for cooling the ERS package, because of the multiple heavy braking events in quick succession.

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07 Jun 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - high-speed front wing

The main difference is smaller flaps, but also note the shape and position of the vertical fins mounted on the upper flap; they are more curved compared to the model used in the previous races (inset drawing). The purpose is to better channel the air at high speed away from the front wheels.
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08 Jun 2015. Toro Rosso STR10 - low-downforce rear wing

In Montreal all teams introduced low-downforce rear wings, though these are not the extreme solutions we used to see on the pre-2014 regulation cars.

That is because the current generation of F1 machines cannot afford to lose too much rear downforce, now that the lower beam wing has been banned.

One of the most interesting solutions seen in Canada was this rear wing on the Toro Rosso, with new endplates featuring only two gills at the front and top, and a very low-downforce main profile and flap.

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09 Jun 2015. Red Bull RB11 - revised turning vanes

Red Bull introduced various updates in Canada, particularly on the brakes to improve reliability and also to help on the aerodynamic side.

In the end, their two cars qualified and raced with different specifications of turning vanes under the front part of the chassis.

Both drivers tested the new one on Friday, but only Kvyat qualified and raced it. This version is quite a similar solution to that on the Toro Rosso and is designed to channel airflow under the chassis to the rear of the floor where most of the downforce on an F1 car is generated.

There are three elements to the new design. Ricciardo used the standard configuration (inset) with only two elements and a curved end to the turning vane.

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12 Jun 2015.

Introduced in Canada recently, this design shows how Mercedes are not only the class leaders in power units, but also at the forefront of aerodynamic innovation.

Their S-shape to the fin (red arrows) on the inner edge of the brake duct assembly is a Formula One first. Its purpose is to better direct and manage the airflow outside the front wheel.

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20 Jun 2015. McLaren MP4-30 - new short nose design

From FP2 onwards in Austria, Fernando Alonso ran an obviously different looking version of the team’s 2015 car, almost a B-spec version.

The changes - including the short nose shown above - were part of a major aero update which will be completed at the next round at Silverstone, with a totally new front wing, new sidepods with vertical vanes, new mirrors and a lighter chassis. The change of chassis meant a few procedural headaches for crash testing, as rules state that new components must be tested on the chassis that will be used on track. Eventually in Spielberg, though, Alonso was able to run his car, which also differed from Button’s (below) in its floor, diffuser and rear wing. The nose is a mix of Williams’ and Red Bull’s designs, and allows better airflow to the rear of the car.

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21 Jun 2015. Toro Rosso STR10 - revised rear suspension

It integrates with the previous floor update - debuted in Spain - in which two longitudinal slots (two lower right arrows) were added in front of the rear tyres to reduce pressure in this area of the car. The new rear suspension follows the trend set by Mercedes for a raised top wishbone (top arrow), but even more significant is the shape of the lower wishbone (centre arrow). This is very similar to what Mercedes have been doing with their front suspension since last season, with the lower element effectively becoming a wide aerofoil thanks to the new pick up point with the upright.
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22 Jun 2015. McLaren MP4-30 - stepped floor

Seen in Austria was this unique design from McLaren in the high-pressure area in front of the rear tyres.

The two transverse and four longitudinal slots (red arrows) make this an even more sophisticated solution than that introduced by Toro Rosso in Spain, designed to feed this zone with airflow and reduce the lift effect from the rotating tyres.

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23 Jun 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - rear suspension & brake ducts

A new trend in rear suspension design is to have an extra element between the top wishbone and the upright.

Mercedes have exploited this solution to the limit in order to raise the top wishbone. This gives them more scope in the design of the rear brake duct fins (red arrow), allowing them to integrate a more superior solution.


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05 Jul 2015. Force India VJM08 - nosecone ‘nostrils’

Force India introduced a major - and very productive - upgrade package to their car for the team’s home race at Silverstone, with the most obvious change being these two distinctive vents in the nose.

Resembling nostrils, the vents feed the lower section of the nose with a channel of air. The starting point for the idea was last year’s finger-shape noses, and to ensure their legality the vents are not completely open - when viewed from above, you cannot see the ground through them. Viewed from an angle of 45 degrees, you can.

To ensure the innovation complies with the rules, technical chief Andrew Green has introduced a kind of spoon-shaped underbody panel (red arrow below), which also improves the channeling of air (blue arrows) under the chassis.

Note that Force India are one of three teams that also use an S-duct concept in the lower section of the chassis. This improves the airflow (blue arrows in top drawing) on the top of the chassis. McLaren and Red Bull have something similar.


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07 Jul 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - new front wing

Ferrari introduced an interesting aero upgrade for Silverstone, with a lot of changes to the front wing. In fact all the components were different, heralding a new generation of front wing for the Scuderia as they press ahead with intense aerodynamic development.

The new design (bottom) features a main profile with a more deeply stepped U-shape undercut towards its outer edge compared to the previous version used in Austria (1, top) - this will have an effect on the air pressure under the wing.

The upper flaps are now wider than before (2), with an additional fin to better direct the airflow to the outside of the tyre. The endplate has been modified and no longer has the external fin (3), while the uppermost flap has a different shape compared to the old design (4).


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09 Jul 2015. Williams FW37 - revised rear diffuser

The change is in the central section, which now has a deeper flap (red arrow) on top of the trailing edge of the diffuser, in order to improve the diffuser’s efficiency.
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10 Jul 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - rear brake duct aerodynamics

As well as a new front wing, Ferrari also introduced updates to the rear of the SF15-T at Silverstone.

They have extended the brake duct as an aerodynamic device, adding three vortex generators (top arrow) to the vertical element and an additional one (bottom arrow) around the rear tyre. The purpose of this is to manage the negative effects of turbulence created by the rotating tyre. This is detailed aerodynamic development in an area that everyone is working on at the moment.


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Video - in-season development of the Ferrari SF15-T

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26 Jul 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - high-downforce monkey seat

Mercedes tested a new monkey seat (main drawing) on Friday in Hungary, its design clearly aimed at the high-downforce requirements of the Hungaroring. However, the team opted not to use it for qualifying and the race.

In the inset drawing you can see the version they used for the race. The monkey seat is designed to increase rear downforce, so in deciding not to race the revised design, it seems the team felt that they had enough downforce already.

The Mercedes is still the class-leading car on the aerodynamic side, as well as on the engine side.


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27 Jul 2015. McLaren MP4-30 - mirror fin

Hungary saw the final update to what effectively amounts to a B-spec version of the MP4-30 introduced at the British round by McLaren - a small twisted fin under the mirror, to better channel airflow to the rear of the car.

From Austria onwards McLaren have heavily evolved their car, with the short nose being introduced there. At Silverstone the new package comprising a front wing, bargeboard and diffuser moved the car on, and now this.

This latest piece appears to complete the programme, which has been inspired by incoming aerodynamicist Peter Prodromou.


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29 Jul 2015. Williams FW37 - revised front wing

Williams made a big change in the design philosophy of their front wing in Hungary.

The team used to have their own, quite distinctive wing shape (inset), whereas the new design (main drawing) - seen on Bottas’ car only in Budapest - is based more on Mercedes’ philosophy. Note the new shape of endplate with the horizontal fin on the outside.

Another change is to the main plane and the stepped area on the outer lower edge of the wing (highlighted in yellow). This was introduced by Mercedes and copied by other teams.

As there was only one example available, Bottas got to use the new wing because he is ahead of team mate Massa in the drivers’ championship.


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30 Jul 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - brake cooling solutions

On Friday in Budapest Mercedes experimented with different cooling solutions for the front brakes, with an asymmetric brake duct opening (right of brake assembly).

For qualifying and the race they opted instead for the solution used in Canada, with the drum open and perforated holes exposed on the disc.

This was to avoid the problems the team had in Canada and Hungary last year with overheating brakes.


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Video - the ongoing evolution of F1 brakes


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03 Aug 2015. Red Bull RB11 - blown front axle

Red Bull were the original inventors of the blown axle, conceiving a rotary hub design in 2012 - although half a season later the system was subsequently ruled illegal by the FIA as it was considered to be a moving aerodynamic device.

Williams moved the thinking forward in 2013, using a fixed tube inside a central hub - which negated the need for a moving component, and was therefore deemed legal. Red Bull adopted that design in their 2013 chassis, while Ferrari and McLaren used a version of it from the start of the 2015 campaign.

In Hungary, Red Bull reintroduced the concept on their RB11, together with a positive set of aerodynamic improvements based on their Silverstone package.

It is clear that Red Bull have significantly improved the chassis and closed the gap to Mercedes in the last two races, especially in terms of understanding how to manage the airflow at the front of the car. The blown axle plays a part in this, as well as helping to manage brake and tyre temperatures.


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In-season development of the McLaren MP4-30


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23 Aug 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - Spa-Francorchamps rear wing

Mercedes have introduced a totally new rear wing for 2015’s Belgian round, the first time the team have used such a spoon-shaped design on both main and flap profiles.

This kind of solution was first seen on the McLaren MP4-21 in 2006 and then used by the Woking team the following year. After that, spoon-shaped rear wings were regularly used at fast tracks by Williams , BAR Honda and Sauber. Mercedes obviously have a lot of confidence in their new design, as in practice at Spa they did not trouble with a back-to-back test against their ‘normal’ low-downforce rear wing - as seen in Canada - and Both Hamilton and Rosberg raced this solution.


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24 Aug 2015. McLaren MP4-30 - slotted tea tray

In Belgium they introduced this new tea tray at the front of the floor, a critical area of the underbody aerodynamics. The unprecedented feature of this design is the use of two vertical slots to feed air under the tray. Normally there is only one slot.

Also in the team’s aero update package at Spa-Francorchamps were lower sidepods, a different engine cover and a revised position for the ERS cooling radiator.


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26 Aug 2015. Red Bull RB11 - rear wing updates

Red Bull trialled two new rear-wing configurations in Friday practice at Spa-Francorchamps, learning lessons that will also be helpful for the next round at Monza.

Daniel Ricciardo tried the low-downforce version (inset) - similar to the one used by the team last year in Italy - with a small main plane cord and no gills on the endplate. Daniil Kvyat, meanwhile, tested a more Spa-specific set-up, with higher downforce and two horizontal plus one vertical gill on the endplate. The team opted to qualify and race the Kvyat version on both cars in order to be able to better manage tyre life during the race.


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Video - Mercedes cockpit protection concept


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02 Sep 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - low-downforce front wing

Ferrari introduced this front wing at the last round in Belgium and are expected to use a very similar solution for their home race in Italy this weekend.

The upper flap has been removed, leaving one flap - rather than two - with a quite different shape, designed for very low downforce. Two vertical fins have been added to help channel airflow cleanly around the front tyres. This should be effective on the long straights at Monza where speeds can regularly exceed 320 km/h.


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06 Sep 2015. Technical analysis - Monza rear wings

Williams FW37 - Williams have opted for the easiest and least expensive low-downforce solution; to simply cut 3 to 4 cm off the top flap (yellow area), reducing drag and downforce. A similar but less extreme solution has been used by Toro Rosso. As is traditional here, Williams have been strong on top speed. It follows an error in this area at the last round in Belgium, where they carried too much downforce, which hurt them on the straights of Spa-Francorchamps.

Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - In Belgium Mercedes drew much attention with their sculpted, spoon-shaped rear wing (main drawing) - which proved very effective. And although the team are dominating the season and have an almost unassailable points lead, they are still pushing very hard to introduce updates at every race. After the surprise of the Spa design, for Monza they have brought a brand-new, low-downforce rear wing (inset) with less curvature and without a monkey seat. There is also a subtle gurney flap to help the car in the slower corners.

Ferrari SF15-T - For Monza, Ferrari have retained the same front wing as Spa, but brought a new low-downforce rear. It features new endplates with two large slots and one small horizontal slot on top, and a short-cord main plane. As in Belgium, Ferrari have reverted to the bodywork package from before the Spanish round, which is better on high-speed tracks. Along with an improved power unit - utilizing three development tokens - it means Ferrari appear to have taken a good step forward in performance for their home race.


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07 Sep 2015. Toro Rosso STR10 - Monza front wings

Toro Rosso tried three different front wings over the weekend at Monza, a high-speed circuit at which low downforce and low drag are the order of the day.

The one above - which was not raced - was quite extreme, without the uppermost flap. This reduced downforce dramatically.

They also tried another new design (below) with two different options of flaps tested by the drivers: one with a cut-in the top flap (inset), which they eventually raced, and another with a new flap. The leading edge of both these wings had two stiffening points to maintain rigidity and avoid flexing.

Bringing three wings to Monza shows that Toro Rosso are pushing hard. The wings have limited use beyond this race, possibly only in Mexico, which looks set to be a high-speed circuit.


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20 Sep 2015. Sauber C34 - Singapore update package

Sauber introduced the largest update of arguably any team in Singapore. This is the fruit of many months in the wind tunnel and CFD. The package - the Swiss squad’s first major upgrade of the season - almost amounts to a B-spec machine. Sadly, however, it could not prevent both cars going out in Q1 in qualifying.

The update includes a new, shorter nose, following the trend set by Williams from the start of the season. Sauber’s treatment is similar to McLaren’s. The drawing above shows the old nose on the left and the new one on the right.

It has the following features: 1. Shorter and thinner ‘finger’ in the centre; 2. Lower nose section with improved airflow under the nose to the floor; 3. New main profile with a larger footstep and a curved profile beneath the endplate (a trend set by Mercedes); 4. New slotted flap; 5. Second vertical turning vane to better direct the airflow outside the front tyre; 6. Wider, Mercedes-style section; 7. Different fins on the outside of the endplate.

The drawing above shows the old nosecone on the left and the new one on the right. The difference in length and shape is clear. Note that the new nose does not have the lower keel (red arrow).


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20 Sep 2015. Force India VJM08 - rear suspension updates

Force India has developed their car in phases this year. A new nose concept in Austria was followed a race later by almost a B-spec car in Great Britain. And in Singapore they have brought an interesting package of updates comprising a modified diffuser, rear wing, front and rear brake ducts, plus other minor bodywork updates.

The drawing above concentrates on a small detail to show the continuous work that is going on to derive better aerodynamic performance from suspension parts. The red arrow highlights a bonded fairing on the front arm of the lower wishbone. This area is regulated and the width is set here to comply with the rules.


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21 Sep 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - rear floor modifications

Ferrari were on their A game in Singapore, taking pole position and victory with a car featuring a very effective and obvious update. The area in front of the rear tyres is a crucial focal point for all teams this year as they look to improve rear-end aerodynamics, and in the last few races we have seen many different solutions.

For the Marina Bay race Ferrari multiplied the slots in the floor (highlighted in yellow), from three to nine. In addition they added two fins (red arrow) on the sides of the deformable rear crash structure, as Mercedes did in Spain. The car, with its strong rear end, is much more to Sebastian Vettel’s liking now, hence the improved performance.


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22 Sep 2015. Toro Rosso STR10 - new shape front wing

The season may be entering its latter stages, but Toro Rosso are still pushing hard with the aero development of their 2015 car.

In Singapore they introduced this totally new shape of front wing turning vane (red arrow), highly twisted to channel air outwards. Other teams have a straighter, more vertical fin.


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27 Sep 2015. Red Bull RB11 - revised turning vanes

Both Red Bull cars raced in Suzuka with these new turning vanes (main drawing), which were used only by Kvyat at the last round in Singapore - where Ricciardo drove with the previous version (inset).

As you can see, the new version has a more twisted vertical shape (upper right arrow), while the floor section is angled upwards more steeply at the rear. Note also the different position and shape of the horizontal connection between the two turning vanes (centre arrow). Kvyat carried out a back-to-back test of the two different floors on Friday. The changes are designed to improve airflow under the car and hence boost downforce.


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28 Sep 2015. Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - rear-wing endplate changes

Mercedes were back on form in Japan, where they continued to add developments to their car, among them this new endplate design on the rear wing.

The inset drawing shows the endplate the team had used all season up until Suzuka. The main difference on the new version is the much longer vertical slot on the endplate’s leading edge (main drawing, lower right arrow - contrast with inset drawing, lower right arrow). The rest of the wing is based on the design used in Bahrain, also shown inset, with cuts in the flap where it meets the endplate (upper left arrow) and a small gurney flap on its exit edge.


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30 Sep 2015. McLaren MP4-30 - revised front wing

McLaren endured another tough race in Japan last weekend, hampered by a lack of straight-line performance. They did at least, though, have the benefit of recent aero updates to the MP4-30, which narrowly missed out on the points in the hands of Fernando Alonso.

The team confirmed the effectiveness of the new front wing design they introduced in Singapore (previous version inset). The wing pillars have a more twisted outer edge (left arrow), while the endplate now features small winglets on its inner (top right arrow) and outer (lowermost arrow) edges, and a revised rear opening (lower right arrow). All this is to better manage the airflow around the outside of the front tyres.


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11 Oct 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - 2016 engine preparation

It is a 2016 treatment, which also requires a new gearbox. In this drawing we can see that on the 2015 engine the oil tank has been moved from the back of the engine to the front (red arrows). The new unit will also have the MGU-K removed from the back to the lower-left side of the block (blue arrows), like all the other manufacturers do.

The objective is to make a narrower rear end to the car for aerodynamic reasons. The suggestion is that Kimi Raikkonen, who is not in championship contention, will use the new unit at the next round in the United States and then Ferrari can test and develop it in the final four races of the season.


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13 Oct 2015. Analysis - how exhaust blowing could return in 2016

Teams may currently run just a single exhaust pipe from their engines, with its location and dimensions - and those of bodywork around it - strictly controlled by the regulations in a bid to prevent engineers using exhaust gases for aerodynamic gain. That could, however, change in 2016...

The drawing above shows us two things: one, that Honda are set to retain their unique engine layout next season, with their small MGU-H positioned within the upper-rear portion of the engine block (left inset) between the compressor (in blue) and the turbo (in red); and two, that next season their power unit - and all others - will feature two exhausts rather than one (right inset).

This follows a change in the regulations for 2016 which requires all cars to have a separate exhaust wastegate tailpipe - it may even be a twin pipe - through which all and only wastegate exhaust gases must pass. This measure has been undertaken to increase the noise of the cars and will not have any significant effect on power or emissions.

What it could do, however, is open the door to the return of some exhaust-blowing effect into the car’s rear aerodynamic structures, since unlike with the current single exhaust pipe, there are no limitations on the positioning of the wastegate pipe.


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25 Oct 2015. Red Bull RB11 - Austin front wing

In the United States, Red Bull and McLaren were the latest teams to take on board key aspects of Mercedes' front wing design.

As can be seen in this drawing of Red Bull’s interpretation, the outer section of the wing has a small step (underlined in red) next to the endplate. This entire area consists of various channels which better direct airflow towards the outside of the front tyres, thus boosting downforce. Both Red Bull and McLaren raced their solutions at the Circuit of The Americas.


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28 Oct 2015. Technical analysis - pre-Mexico round-up

McLaren MP4-30 - Honda’s upgraded power unit
Finally in the United States we got to see the shape of the engine exhausts on Honda’s improved power unit, introduced at the previous Grand Prix in Russia and tested again by Fernando Alonso in Texas (team mate Jenson Button hopes to have the update in Mexico). No longer are the exhausts all included in one short collector manifold (bottom arrow). Instead they now have a more standard layout (top arrow) in order to improve the engine’s power curve.

Mercedes F1 W06 Hybrid - engine cover updates
In Austin Mercedes introduced two ‘ears’ on the side of the airbox (top arrow and left inset) to improve the cooling of the car’s Energy Recovery System (ERS). This will allow the team to run its MGU-H at higher revs in Mexico, in order to combat the negative effects of altitude - Mexico City is over 2,200m above sea level - on engine power. There was also a change to the lower part of the engine cover, with the pronounced bonded section (bottom arrow) covering the ERS cooler removed, thanks to the cooler now being narrower but higher.

McLaren MP4-30 - rear floor slots
McLaren have followed Ferrari’s lead (inset shows the Italian team’s solution) and introduced multiple slots in the floor in front of the rear wheels. This is in order to reduce the negative influence of turbulence in this area of the car, improving the aerodynamic efficiency of the rear diffuser and thus boosting downforce.

Ferrari SF15-T - front wing updates
In Austin Ferrari debuted a front wing different in various parts of its design, initially on just Sebastian Vettel’s car, but then on Kimi Raikkonen’s too. The main plane has a more angled and twisted shape just before the horizontal section close to the endplate (bottom arrow), while just inside the endplate (top left arrow) there is long, angled fin like the one introduced by McLaren last year and since adopted by Mercedes. The wing’s final rear flap (top right arrow) also has a new shape compared to the previous design. The performance of the SF15-T was such that Vettel finished the US race barely three seconds down on the winning Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton.


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31 Oct 2015. Ferrari SF15-T - underbody ‘Batman’ fin

Ferrari continue to push ahead with aerodynamic development going into the season’s final few rounds, and in Mexico we can see a new front-end package on the SF15-T.

The Italian squad have kept the new three-piece turning vanes (right arrow) underneath the chassis, as introduced at the last round in Austin. These are paired with a horizontal splitter - its shape reminiscent of Batman’s famous logo - behind the turning vanes (left arrow), as used since last year by Mercedes. Together with a new front wing, these elements form Ferrari’s revised aero set-up for the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, where the combination of high speeds and thin air - Mexico City is over 2,200m above sea level - presents the teams with an unusual set-up challenge.


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01 Nov 2015. Technical analysis - keeping cool in Mexico

The thin air in Mexico City - the result of its high-altitude location at more than 2,200m above sea level - has given the teams an unprecedented challenge this weekend, notably in terms of keeping their cars’ key components cool and within their working temperature ranges.

Brake cooling has been heavily affected by altitude. Mercedes opted for the open front brake drum design above, as used previously in Canada on the F1 W06 Hybrid. At the rear, Nico Rosberg’s brakes caught alight due to overheating in Friday practice, forcing the team to open up the extremely closed rear drum configuration they had been running.

The drawing above, meanwhile, shows the very open duct design McLaren have adopted for the front of the MP4-30 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez. Note the multiple inner fins designed to best direct airflow and optimize cooling.

With turbos needing to work harder to produce normal power outputs in Mexico, engine and ERS cooling has also been at a premium. Both Mercedes ran their engine covers with the extra airbox ‘ears’ seen above - as debuted at the last round in Austin - boosting airflow to the MGU-H, which needs to run at higher revs than normal here.

At Red Bull, with the cooling requirements even more severe than in Malaysia, the team completely opened up the rear of the RB11, in a similar way to sister team Toro Rosso did on their SRT10 at Sepang. In the drawing above, also note the small, triangular vortex generators on the central base of the rear diffuser, first introduced by Red Bull last year to increase the diffuser’s efficiency.


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15 Nov 2015. Analysis - Mercedes’ mystery ‘S-duct’

At first sight it appeared that Mercedes were running an S-duct in the nose of the F1 W06 Hybrid in Brazil, although technical chief Paddy Lowe denied that it worked like the one used this season by Red Bull, McLaren and Force India. In fact what looked like an experimental aerodynamic device was in reality hiding something else the world champions were trying for 2016.

On Lewis Hamilton’s car in FP1 there was a completely new front suspension, with new mounting points, which were to evaluate how the car would work with a higher chassis, clearly something Mercedes are developing for next year to improve airflow under the chassis. Although subtle, this solution was visible from the bonded bulge on top of the car’s nose.

The ruse was confirmed when after FP1, the Mercedes mechanics removed the new rocker, damper and pedal assembly to refit the standard version for the rest of the weekend.


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16 Nov 2015. Analysis - McLaren rear diffuser development

This season the area around the rear tyres has seen a significant amount of research and development, seeking out new solutions to improve efficiency, like this one from McLaren’s Peter Prodromou seen on the MP4-30 in Brazil.

The outside section of the diffuser is controlled by two short vertical fences, positioned outwards at an angle of 45 degrees. (see blue arrows)

The goal is to reduce the lift and drag effect created by the tyre, thereby increasing the car’s rear-end aerodynamic efficiency.


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27 Nov 2015. Let the sparks fly - why 2015's cars look even more spectacular


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28 Nov 2015. Analysis - Ferrari’s front wing pressure sensors

This weekend’s 2015 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix marks the teams’ final chance this year to conduct on-track development work in preparation for next season. Though there is a 12-hour tyre test at Yas Marina on Tuesday, that is purely for Pirelli’s 2016 tyre programme.

Thus everyone has been particularly eager to collect as much data as possible in Abu Dhabi, and one measure taken by Ferrari to help achieve that has been the use of pressure sensors (red arrow) on the SF15-T’s front wing - as also seen in Brazil. These help the team build up a better picture of the effects of airflow over and around the wing, with a view to their 2016 car, which is expected to feature an all-new shorter nose (as well as a return to a push-rod suspension layout as used by the rest of the grid).


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01 Dec 2015. Analysis - Mercedes 2016 suspension development

At the previous round in Brazil - on Friday morning only - the world champions trialled a new front suspension for 2016 on Hamilton’s car. In Abu Dhabi the testing of the next-generation geometry was stepped up a gear, with both cars running it in both Friday sessions. They also made back-to-back comparisons with the standard 2015 suspension.

All the components involved, such as rockers, shock absorbers, and even the pedals, were different, so it was a big job for the mechanics to switch things over. The most visible difference, indicated by the red arrows in the drawing above, was a new, third, hydraulically operated element (arrow) replacing the standard layout’s co-axial spring.






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