Just one week after the last race in Spain, seven Formula 1 teams have brought updates for their cars for this weekend’s Monaco Grand Prix.
The Monte-Carlo circuit is the slowest on the calendar and features the tightest corner on the schedule, the sharp left-hander which leads drivers past the Fairmont Hotel, formerly known as Loews.
While several teams have added new parts for this event, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo have not brought any upgrades or specification changes compared to past rounds. Here’s what their rivals have introduced in Monaco.
Mercedes
Front wing endplate
Reason for change: Performance – local load
Difference: “Lower outboard corner of front wing end plate radius altered.”
Description: “This is a minor change to the geometry of the front wing endplate that generates a small improvement in local load.”
Front corner
Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range
Difference: “Larger cake tin duct exit.”
Description: “The larger exit for this circuit in particular generates increased cooling flow for the brake discs and callipers, which is particularly important in Monaco given the low average speeds.”
Red Bull
Front Suspension
Reason for change: Performance – mechanical set-up
Difference: “Revised steering geometry.”
Description: “Monaco circuit presents the tightest corners of the year and steering geometry is allowed to reach the required lock for this event.”
Front Corner
Reason for change: Reliability
Difference: “revised front wheel bodywork geometry”
Description: “Changes offer more front brake system cooling flow to counter the low average airspeed of the Monaco event and the likelihood of running in traffic.”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
McLaren
Rear Corner
Reason for change: Circuit-specific – cooling range
Difference: “Increased Brake Cooling Exit.”
Description: “A larger rear corner cooling exit, that has been deployed to cover the high brake energies expected at this circuit.”
Front Suspension
Reason for change: Performance – mechanical set-up
Difference: “Updated front steering geometry.”
Description: “A modified steering geometry has been deployed to cope with specific high steering demand for this circuit, specifically for Loews corner.”
Bodywork
Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range
Difference: “Two sets of different blanking louvre panels.”
Description: “Two levels of blanking panels are considered for this event with the aim to trade cooling with aero performance for race-ability and minimum lap time.”
Sidepod Inlet
Reason for change: Reliability
Difference: “Reduced chord on mirror stay”
Description: “An optional trimmed chord mirror stay has been released to cope with the visibility challenges in a street circuit like Monaco.”
Alpine
Front Suspension
Reason for change: Performance – mechanical set-up
Difference: “Revised steering geometry specific to Monaco”
Description: “Shorter steering arms required to give extra steering lock to get around the tight left-hander at Lowes Hairpin”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
AlphaTauri
Front Suspension
Reason for change: Performance – mechanical set-up
Difference: “Small track specific changes to the front suspension layout.”
Description: “The updates to the front suspension are specific to this circuit to allow for the higher steer demands of the Monaco track.”
Front Corner
Reason for change: Performance – mechanical set-up
Difference: “Small changes to be compatible with the front suspension changes.”
Description: “The updates to the front suspension are specific to this circuit to allow for the higher steer demands of the Monaco track.”
Williams
Front Suspension
Reason for change: Performance – mechanical set-up
Difference: “Change in steering arm length and modification to the outboard fairings of the front pushrod and front lower wishbone”
Description: “Increases the gain between steering wheel rotation and front road wheel angle. Helps achieve the steering required to negotiate the tight corners in Monaco.”
Front Corner
Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range
Difference: “Change to inlet and exit of the front brake ducts and minor revisions to the internal cooling paths”
Description: “We have worked to increase the brake disc/caliper cooling to more suit the unique demands of the Monaco Grand Prix”
Advert | Become a RaceFans supporter and
Haas
Front Corner
Reason for change: Performance – mechanical set-up
Difference: “For this event only we must allow for increased steering lock at the Lowes hairpin.”
Description: “Flexibility has been introduced to existing geometries to allow the steering arm to achieve the required envelope. The chassis side seals and the wheel side brake duct and seals have been modified to allow for this increased steering lock.”
This article will be updated
Become a RaceFans Supporter
RaceFans is run thanks in part to the generous support of its readers. By contributing £1 per month or £12 per year (or the same in whichever currency you use) you can help cover the costs of creating, hosting and developing RaceFans today and in the future.
Become an RaceFans Supporter today and browse the site ad-free. Sign up or find out more via the links below:
2022 Monaco Grand Prix
- Whatever triggered it, Verstappen’s defiance of his own team makes little sense
- Transcript: How Red Bull seized a win that ‘Ferrari looked like they had in the bag’
- Verstappen now has as many poles as Leclerc – but six times as many wins
- Schumacher’s chassis-splitting crash shows effects of rising car weight – Alonso
- Norris still can’t drive McLaren the way he wants to, despite strong results
W-K (@w-k)
27th May 2022, 11:02
I wouldn’t call suspension/steering changes at Monaco upgrades, more like essentials to enable getting round corners such as Lowes.
Barry Bens (@barryfromdownunder)
27th May 2022, 11:09
Wondering when Red Bull will come with their actual upgrades. They didn’t bring that much just yet and skipped Barcelona alltogether, whereas Ferrari brought everything then. With Verstappen claiming there was ‘plenty left in the tank’, I expected at least something before Silverstone (and then Silverstone itself obviously).
Todfod (@todfod)
27th May 2022, 11:26
They were bringing updates for races 2 to 5 IIRC.
Bram (@br444m)
27th May 2022, 12:56
IIRC they mentioned planning a big one for Silverstone
Electroball76
27th May 2022, 16:50
They’re waiting to see what Aston Martin do first
GeeMac (@geemac)
27th May 2022, 13:30
Calling this one out for not being anything to do with reliability…
ady (@sixwheeler)
27th May 2022, 15:50
Question for the internet: what is the official name of that hairpin now? I’m seeing it variously called Fairmont or Grand Hotel. And when was it last officially known as Loews?