Mercedes W13 floor, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

F1 teams confirm full details of Spanish Grand Prix upgrades

2022 Spanish Grand Prix

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Formula 1 teams have confirmed the details of the changes they have made to their cars for this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix.

Here are the changes each team has informed the FIA about. Haas is the only team which say they have not introduced any upgrades to their cars this weekend.

Mercedes

Mercedes W13, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
Mercedes W13, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Front Wing Endplate

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “Change in endplate camber.”

Description: “This change in endplate camber, which curves gently inboard, is designed to improve flow on to the front cake tin deflector, and hence flow to the rear of the car.”

Floor Edge

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “Slot added to outer edge of floor.”

Description: “This is a detail change similar to that found on other cars, and it is designed to improve floor performance when it is running close to the ground.”

Mercedes W13 floor, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
Mercedes W13 floor, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Rear Corner

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “New lower deflector endplate.”

Description: “This modification generates increased local load on the lower deflector inside the rear wheels, which in turn increases overall diffuser load.”

Floor Body

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “New bib vane added to keel.”

Description: “The new bib vane has a dual function and benefit: first, it generates local load in the middle of the car; second, it sends a vortex under the main floor of the car.”

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Mercedes W13, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
Mercedes W13, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Red Bull

Red Bull Racing RB18 nose, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
Red Bull Racing RB18 nose, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Front Wing

Reason for change: Circuit specific – balance range

Difference: “A new flap has been designed with locally longer chord profiles more camber angles and increased angles of incidence.”

Description: “More front wing load is generated on all the profiles as a consequence of the new design of the flap profiles.”

Floor Body

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “Surfaces raised locally from previous geometry at the floor to top body split line to form a ‘blister’.”

Description: “For a given load the downstream conditioning of the blister improves the total pressure on the upper surface of the floor.”

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Ferrari

Ferrari F1-75 diffuser, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
Ferrari F1-75 diffuser, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Floor Body

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “Updated floor and diffuser geometries”

Description: “This new Floor component is part of standard development cycle. It aims at improving the overall aerodynamic performance through the entire car operating envelope and is not specific to the Barcelona circuit layout”

Rear Corner

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “Updated [rear brake duct] furniture / winglet geometries”

Description: “This new external rear corner component is part of standard development cycle and goes together with the floor update. It aims at improving the overall aerodynamic performance through the entire car operating envelope and is not specific to the Barcelona circuit layout”

Rear Wing

Reason for change: Circuit specific – drag range

Difference: “Higher downforce top rear wing design”

Description: “More loaded top rear wing main and flap profiles introduction in order to adapt to the Barcelona circuit layout peculiarities and aerodynamic efficiency requirements”

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McLaren

McLaren MCL36, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
McLaren MCL36, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Front Wing

Reason for change: Circuit specific – balance range

Difference: “Revised flap widespan”

Description: “A new front wing flap which allows a larger aero balance range. This includes different options of gurney flap’ to match aero balance requirements.”

Front Suspension

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “Revised fairing on front suspension legs”

Description: “The front suspension fairings have been locally modified to integrate with a revised front brake duct inboard face and inlet geometry.”

Front Corner

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “A fully revised front corner internals and scoop”

Description: “The new design of the front brake duct shape improves aerodynamic efficiency, and the revised internal ducting improves the brake cooling efficiency.”

Floor Body

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “Revised floor fences, floor overall shape and floor edge”

Description: “A new floor has been developed and brought tothis event as part of an aerodynamic update that also includes a revised sidepod, increasing overall car downforce.”

Coke/Engine Cover

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “Revised sidepod shape and width”

Description: “A new sidepod has been developed and brought to this event aspart of an aerodynamic update that also includes a revised floor, increasing overall car downforce.”

Cooling Louvres

Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range

Difference: “New louvres to suit new sidepods”

Description: “A revised set of louvres will be introduced to suit the new sidepods and cope with the high ambient temperatures expected in Barcelona.”

McLaren MCL36 rear wing, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
McLaren MCL36 rear wing, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Rear Wing

Reason for change: Circuit specific – drag range

Difference: “Revised upper rear wing assembly, mainplane, flap and [rear wing end plate].”

Description: “A new rear wing has been brought to this event, aimed at improving lap time at high downforce circuits like Barcelona and Monaco.”

McLaren MCL36 floor, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
McLaren MCL36 floor, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Rear Corner

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “Revised [rear brake duct] lower wing endplate”

Description: “A previously raced rear brake duct lower winglet geometry incidence angle which is better suited to the new floor geometry.”

Sidepod Inlet

Reason for change: Reliability

Difference: “Removed cockpit strake”

Description: “A strake on the cockpit has been removed. This is aimed at improving the visibility the drivers have towards the inside corner, in particular.”

Diffuser

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “Centre diffuser packer.”

Description: “This is a test option geometry for the new floor to study alternative flow conditions around the central diffuser area.”

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McLaren wheel and brake duct, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
McLaren wheel and brake duct, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Alpine

Esteban Ocon, Alpine, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
Esteban Ocon, Alpine, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Front Wing Endplate

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “A more loaded dive-plane with a reprofiled leading edge and lower corner vanes”

Description: “With more load on the dive-plane, more downforce is generated at the front of the car and improve the flow field behind the front wing.”

Rear Wing

Reason for change: Circuit specific – drag range

Difference: “Larger rear wing to increase downforce level as a result of the configuration of the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya”

Description: “A more loaded top rear wing to make maximum use of the rear wing legality box thus generating more downforce. To be run on both cars, number 31 and number 14.”

Rear Corner

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “Higher angle of incidence rear brake drum lower winglet”

Description: “The rear brake drum winglet improves air flow around the rear corner providing improved support for thelower rear wing.”

Rear Corner

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “Revised rear brake drum upper winglet”

Description: “Minor update to the rear brake drum upper winglet for a small local aero improvement at the rear of the car.”

AlphaTauri

AlphaTauri AT03, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
AlphaTauri AT03, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Rear Wing

Reason for change: Circuit specific – drag range

Difference: “The new rear wing in deeper in front view and has more camber. “

Description: “The new rear wing generates more downforce but with more drag. This trade is a better optimum for the characteristics of this track. “

Aston Martin

Aston Martin AMR22 floor, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Floor Body

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “Fundamental changes are largely to suit surrounding geometry but the surfaces are smoother along the length of the car.”

Description: “The main floor body modifications are to better manage airflow along the lower surface of the floor in combination with the surrounding geometry.”

Floor Fences

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “Twin OB fences with remaining two fences repositioned, reprofiled an extended forwards.”

Description: “Fences rearranged to modify the airflow around the forward floor and provide more consistent load throughout the ride height range.”

Floor Edge

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “Floor edge wing has moved rearwards, with an associated change to the plan view edge of the floor, and the shape in front of the rear tyre.”

Description: “Modifications are intended to modify the loading distribution along the edge of the floor and consequently the performance through the operating envelope of the car.”

Sidepod Inlet

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “Sidepod inlet has moved rearwards compared to the previous version with the lower edge raised to create a shallower inlet.”

Description: “Inlet moved rearwards to better influence the surrounding airflow whilst retaining the requirements of the cooling package.”

Coke/Engine Cover

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “Bodywork changes are to create an upper surface that slopes down to the rear of the car, with the maximum width of the bodywork pushed rearwards also. The exit at the rear of the bodywork is larger and higher.”

Description: “Revised shapes improve airflow delivery to the rear of the car and re-distribute the internal cooling flow exit to a more optimum position.”

Cooling Louvres

Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range

Difference: “Two options of bodywork cooling louvres will be available to suit the new bodywork shape, with blanking panels for each to give fine adjustments.”

Description: “As always the bodywork louvre exits will be as closed as possible for optimum external aero performance, to maximise the quality of the flow at the back of the car.”

Rear Wing

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “There is a new upper rear wing assembly available which is more loaded than previous versions that have been available.”

Description: “More aggressive section design increases rear load and drag beyond the range of the current set of components at the track, simulation suggests this is appropriate for the upcoming events.”

Halo

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “Addition of a vane on top of the halo at the rear where it is attached to the chassis.”

Description: “Modification to the flow field around the cockpit to improve the performance downstream of this area at the rear of the car,”

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Aston Martin AMR22 sidepod, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
Aston Martin AMR22 sidepod, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Williams

Williams FW44 floor, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
Williams FW44 floor, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Front Wing

Reason for change: Circuit specific – balance range

Difference: “Larger and more inclined rearward most flap element of the front wing”

Description: “More loaded front wing flap to help balance the new rear wing. With the new rear wing increasing the load on the rear axle, the new front wing flap is required to increase the loading on the front axle in order to maintain a suitable balance.”

Rear Wing

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “More highly loaded rear wing mainplane with a more aggressive profile when viewed head-on. Greater angle of attack.”

Description: “More loaded rear wing option to suit the lower efficiency circuits such as Barcelona.”

Rear Corner

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “A new cluster of winglets on the inboard face of the rear brake duct. There are six new winglet elements that replace the previous down-washing pair of winglets”

Description: “New group of winglets on the rear brake duct, which produce local load and also change the flow around the rear tyre”

Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo C42 floor, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022
Alfa Romeo C42 floor, Circuit de Catalunya, 2022

Front Wing

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “New geometry for endplates and flaps.”

Description: “An update to the flaps and end plates of the front wing to bring expected improved characteristics in cornering conditions”

Front Suspension

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “New front suspension top wishbone cover”

Description: “The new front suspension parts, specifically the front suspension top wishbone cover, are expected to produce improved characteristics in cornering conditions.”

Coke/Engine Cover

Reason for change: Reliability

Difference: “Wing mirror -modified IR housing”

Description: “The redesigned mirror has thicker stays for improved structural integrity and a larger housing to embed sensors used in practice sessions.”

Floor Body

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “Floor update”

Description: “The new floor, with updated specifications in several elements, is expected to deliver improvements in performance in all cornering conditions.”

Coke/Engine Cover

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “Redesigned profile of the engine cover and sidepods towards the coke zone”

Description: “We are introducing a new profile of the engine cover, with the aim of improving flow quality reaching the rear end of the car.”

Cooling Louvres

Reason for change: Performance – flow conditioning

Difference: “New internal cooling duct vanes”

Description: “The updated cooling duct vanes, part of our continuing work in this area, are aimed at enlarging the cooling capacity of the car.”

Rear Suspension

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “New rear suspension wishbone and track rod covers”

Description: “The new rear suspension wishbone and track rod covers reduce losses and enhance overall air flow quality in the rear area.”

Rear Wing

Reason for change: Performance – local load

Difference: “New geometry for main plane, flap and end plates.”

Description: “We are introducing a circuit specific high downforce rear wing with new end plates, main plane and flaps, with the aim to maximise downforce.”

This article will be updated

2022 Spanish Grand Prix

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Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...
Claire Cottingham
Claire has worked in motorsport for much of her career, covering a broad mix of championships including Formula One, Formula E, the BTCC, British...

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19 comments on “F1 teams confirm full details of Spanish Grand Prix upgrades”

  1. Aston Martin, reason for change = copied Red Bull

      1. Aston Martin

        Difference: “Car”

        1. Ha ha ha ha!! Aston Martin will be the only team to have budget left over at the end of the year, maybe Red Bull can claim a rebate!

    1. RocketTankski
      20th May 2022, 12:03

      Favourite track: I See You.
      Favourite driver: Seb.. Lance! Sir Lance.
      Favourite colour: Silver. No, blue!
      Favourite radio response : “Copy that”

    2. @gardenfella72 – lol just saw it on TV, I can’t stop laughing. AM they really are funny.

      The updates do suggest that porpoising maybe fixed, so fingers crossed they are within 3 tenths.

    3. Copy That

  2. No front wing change on the AM ? won’t look very much like a RB if they don’t change that

  3. Mercedes: here’s all our upgrades with simple explanaitions.
    Red Bull: here’s all our upgrades with complex explanaitions.
    Ferrari: we brought better parts because, you know, there better…

    1. This is a detail change similar to that found on other cars

      So not just Aston Martin doing some copying ;)

      1. I assumed they wrote that because they are afraid the legality would be challenged. But it is a bit funny to read that.

  4. Quite impressed at the amount of changes McLaren have managed to bring given the work at the start of the season they had to do on their brakes which no doubt cost a lot of development time.

    Hoping Mercedes can bring themselves 0.5s closer to the Red Bull and Ferrari with their package. I doubt they’ll catch up on performance now until Red Bull and Ferrari stop developing but it feels like they have more low hanging fruit to catch a little. Would be nice if they at least got quick enough to be more in the window to cause Ferrari and Red Bull some headaches on strategy.

    Will be interesting to see if AM actually have a car to take advantage of the RB inspired sidepods concept in full.

    Nice to see Alfa bringing so many updates!

    The Ferrari and RB changes look like fine tuning their advantages, expecting bigger package updates mid season for both.

    1. @slowmo Something not being talked about in this article is who has shed weight and by how much? I’m assuming this is an ongoing effort by all teams, particularly ones with no struggle to meet the budget cap, and I have read that RBR may have shed as much as 7kg for this race. I’m sure they’re not the only ones who may be a bit lighter now too, so this unseen factor is going to be interesting to consider along with the physical changes we can actually see.

      1. Yeah it’s not the most exciting topic is it, but all year the weight battle will be pretty important for all. Obviously there is potential that if you get underweight you can gain time with being able to tune your ballast and lower your centre of gravity. We have no way of knowing teams exact car weights to my knowledge but it feels like something the FIA could publish and give the fans/competitors more information about.

      2. I’m assuming every new part will bring with it a weight-save to some extent. As they continue to use these new cars they will learn which parts break and which don’t, and how and where exactly they break. So the next time they make an update to a part that hasn’t failed yet, they can make it lighter. Until it starts failing. For a large part, like a floor, there could potentially be several kg to find at this early time of new rules. For smaller parts, all the way down to bolts and washers, there might just be a few grams, but multiplied by a few thousand parts it becomes kg’s too.

  5. I don’t know if I missed something like this at previous races but this standardised listing of changes is great. Is it driven by F1 or the FIA? Either way it’s right up the nerds’ street at a time when there’s a lot of (forgivable) attention given to serving the less obsessive parts of the audience, so thanks to whoever made it happen!

    1. The Dolphins
      20th May 2022, 15:39

      I think it’s part of the new “show and tell” portion of the weekend where teams can look at their rivals’ cars and get information about updated. I completely agree this is a much more worthwhile topic of discussion, I wholly welcome more of this content! Thanks @keithcollantine and @clairecottingham

  6. I’m an old stick in the mud. For me this just destroys the intrigue, which is/was the very essence of F1 engineering. This is another downgrade of prestige.

    Don’t get me wrong, I love to know this data, but much further down the line. Not at the point of pre-deployment. This is the kind of detail you expect to hear about once the fight is over.

  7. Aston Martin

    Reason for change: Lack of vision

    Difference: “Entire car except paint and stickers”

Comments are closed.