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Autosport
Sport
Matt Somerfield

Saudi Arabian GP: Latest F1 tech updates from the pitlane

However, the cost cap and resource restrictions have resulted in all teams looking for ways to improve performance without manufacturing new parts for every race.

Mercedes has made some alterations to its Bahrain-spec wing to better suit the demands of the Corniche street track, with the upper rear corner of the endplate relieved of its cutout.

As seen last season, this is made possible due to an endplate design which allows for the use of an interchangeable panel.

The tip section of the endplate has been trimmed down, rather than having a flat edge to alter the wing's behaviour.

Aston Martin meanwhile has also made a modification to its rear wing, with the central section of the upper flap's trailing edge trimmed in order to reduce downforce and drag.

Alpine will add some additional cooling on the A523 in Saudi Arabia, with a large set of cooling gills pressed into the sidepod's bodywork.

Elsewhere, the front brake assembly on the Red Bull RB19 prior to the various ducts and channels being put in place reveals a caliper design which, as you'd expect, is as lightweight as possible but also has some interesting cooling rods protruding from its surface.

Red Bull Racing RB19 brake drum detail (Photo by: Uncredited)

Alpine has continued to house its front brake caliper in the three o'clock position this season, utilising a carbon fairing to deliver cool air from the main inlet, whilst also having teardrop-shaped ports to allow heat generated by the disc a means to pass through.

Ferrari's front brake assembly by comparison, with the caliper mounted in the five o'clock position, has a more substantial fairing around it that has also been coated to help reduce heat transfer.

McLaren's front brake assembly has some similarities in the pipework arrangement to Ferrari, as the cool air is fed in via the inlet and the heat is rejected via the rearward facing outlet.

Alfa Romeo's DRS pod has been slightly altered when compared with the Bahrain spec version, as a smaller conduit for the mechanism sits on the top rear portion of the main pod.

Meanwhile, the flap pivots are the more conventional barrel type, rather than the teardrop-shaped ones we've seen them use on other specifications of their rear wing.

The AMR23's front brake assembly is an area where the team has made heavy revisions compared with 2022, as not only has the caliper been moved into a lower position, but there's also a brake disc fairing now in use too.

The rear brakes on the Alfa Romeo C43 also have a brake disc fairing to help reduce the transfer of heat between the various components housed within the brake drum.

Williams has readied the FW45 with its lower downforce package for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, while Haas is also opting for a rear wing option to help boost straightline speed. 

Aston Martin AMR23 brake drum detail (Photo by: Uncredited)
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