It may not be the extreme zero pod that was expected, but Red Bull has introduced a new sidepod inlet for the RB20 to the Suzuka circuit. This includes changes to the cooling and sidepod scoop inlets.
By moving away from last year's design philosophy and adopting parts from Mercedes' ground-effect aerodynamic car from the previous year, Red Bull is reportedly able to achieve a complete zero pod.
Red Bull has a new sidepod…inlet
Japan, which is cooler than the first three races on the calendar, was promoted as the first race of the new design.
Red Bull hasn't gone down that path, however, and the RB20 is equipped with new sidepod inlets. According to the FIA note, Red Bull has redistributed the inlet area of the primary heat exchanger mounted on the sidepod, with the aim of “beneficially requiring less outlet area” in terms of pressure inlet in that area. They sought the most efficient location. downstream. “
The team, which leads the championship by four points, also introduced a new floor, floor edge and front cover to the race.
Ferrari, the team in second place behind Carlos Sainz's Australian Grand Prix, has a new rear wing and rear suspension. The latter, which Sainz touted as a minor change at a press conference on Thursday, is designed to make the car more efficient.
As for McLaren, it has introduced low-cooling front brake ducts, while Aston Martin has upgraded the floor and floor edges to match a revised diffuser with an improved top surface. “The change in geometry changes the expansion within the diffuser, improving the flow characteristics and the loads generated on the surfaces,” the FIA report said.
Like Haas, Mercedes did not introduce any upgrades to its track, despite Haas team principals saying in a recent letter to fans that they would upgrade their cars sooner than originally planned.
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“We were planning to introduce the first upgrades later in the season, and the aero team has done a solid job,” he said. “Instead, we will provide updates sooner. This is a change for the team,” Ayao Komatso said.
However, it seems it is still too early for Japan.
Alpine has upgraded its front wing, front corners and beam wing as the team chases the first points in the championship, while Williams has also been fitted with a new beam wing and rear wing. Both RB and Stake have new floors and floor edges.
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