John N
Seven of the 10 Formula 1 team have brought updates for this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, most of which are targeted at managing the high temperatures at the track.
The high altitude and thinner air of Mexico City reduce the aerodynamic performance of the cars and make it much harder to cool them. Power units and brakes are a particular area of concern, and we saw teams encounter problems with both in practice, leading to stoppages for Alfa Romeo, AlphaTauri, and Haas.
With the upcoming races in Brazil and Abu Dhabi also likely to feature high temperatures, this event is a timely opportunity for teams to improve their cooling options. McLaren and AlphaTauri have brought extensive cooling upgrades, though Liam Lawson came to a smoky stop during first practice while driving for the latter.
Ferrari, Alpine, and Haas are the only teams not to have brought any upgrades this weekend.
2022 Mexican Grand Prix F1 Teams’ Updates
Mercedes
Floor Edge
Reason for change: None
Difference: “Revised floor edge detail.”
Description: “The revised floor edge is a test item on an older specification floor that Nyck de Vries will run in [first practice] to evaluate a different concept in this car area.”
Red Bull
Coke/Engine Cover
Reason for change: Reliability
Difference: “Enlarged top-body central spine for more cooling.”
Description: “Revised exit geometry for central top body part only to increase overall cooling capacity given the reduced ambient pressure and density in Mexico City.”
Rear Corner
Reason for change: Performance – local load
Difference: “Additional winglets on rear brake duct assembly.”
Description: “The additional winglets fitted to the rear brake duct assembly increase local suction and resulting load on the rear corner assembly.”
McLaren
Coke/Engine Cover
Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range
Difference: “Slots in the engine cover.”
Description: “Two centreline slots can be added to the engine cover if required, increasing cooling mass flow resulting in lower fluid temperatures.”
Louvers
Reason for change: Cooling circuit-specific – cooling range
Difference: “High cooling louvers.”
Description: “A new louver geometry has been designed for this event, significantly increasing cooling mass flow resulting in lower fluid temperatures.”
Coke/Engine Cover
Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range
Difference: “Coke exit gurney.”
Description: “A gurney can be fitted to the bodywork coke exit if required, increasing cooling mass flow resulting in lower fluid temperatures.”
AlphaTauri
Front corner
Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range
Difference: “The exit area of the front brake duct scoop has been enlarged.”
Description: “The larger exit area increases the mass flow of air through the brake disc and caliper to provide more cooling to meet the specific requirements of the Mexico circuit.”
Coke/engine cover
Reason for change: Circuit specific – cover cooling range
Difference: “The size of the main rearward facing the cooling exit at the back of the engine cover has been enlarged using a flatter top deck and an increase in width.”
Description: “The larger exit area increases the mass flow of air through the radiators to provide more engine cooling to meet the specific requirements of the Mexico circuit.”
Louvers cooling
Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range
Difference: “A further option of cooling louvers in the side of the engine cover has been introduced. The number of louvers has been reduced, and their spacing increased.”
Description: “The increased porosity of the louver panel is another means of increasing the flow of air through the radiators to increase engine cooling. The louvers themselves control and direct the flow of air as it exits from inside the bodywork to merge with the external air stream.”
Aston Martin
Rear corner
Reason for change: Performance–flow conditioning
Difference: “The lower edge of the rear deflector has a new profile in the area where the teams can modify the geometry.”
Description: “The changes to the lower edge of the deflector change the interaction of the local flow with the rear of the floor.”
Williams
Cooling louvers
Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range
Difference: “There is an option to add an additional exit area to the rearward part of the existing louver panel. This will only be used if required.”
Description: “Adding the additional exit area increases the air mass flow through the radiators but decreases the car’s aerodynamic performance.”
Alfa Romeo
Floor Body
Reason for change: Performance – local load
Difference: “Reconfigured the geometry of the forward part of the floor and modified the side cut-outs.”
Description: “The updated floor, with a reprofiled front geometry and modified cut-outs, will provide additional downforce and improve the car’s stability as part of our late-season range of upgrades.”
