Seven of the 10 Formula 1 teams have brought updates for this weekend’s Mexican Grand Prix at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, most of which are targeted at managing the high temperatures encountered at the track.
The high altitude and thinner air of Mexico City not only reduces the aerodynamic performance of the cars, it also makes 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 particularly 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 will be run by Nyck de Vries in [first practice], to evaluate a different concept in this area of the car.”
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 therefore density in Mexico City.”
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McLaren
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.”
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.”
Louvres
Reason for change: Cooling circuit specific – cooling range
Difference: “High cooling louvres”
Description: “A new louvre 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.”
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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 calliper 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 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.”
Louvres cooling
Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range
Difference: “A further option of cooling louvres in the side of the engine cover has been introduced. The number of louvres has been reduced and their spacing increased.”
Description: “The increased porosity of the louvre panel is another means of increasing the flow of air through the radiators to increase engine cooling. The louvres themselves are used to control and direct the flow of air as it exits from inside the bodywork to merge with the external air stream.”
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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 are able to 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 louvres
Reason for change: Circuit specific – cooling range
Difference: “There is an option to add additional exit area to the rearward part of the existing louvre 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 aerodynamic performance of the car”
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.”
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2022 Mexican Grand Prix
- Delay in producing new parts held up Alfa Romeo upgrade
- Doohan’s practice run earns praise, but Alpine undecided over reserve role
- ‘I was in the fight, which hasn’t been often this year’: Ricciardo’s Mexican GP transcript
- Verstappen “will continue to break records for the rest of his career” – rivals
- Mercedes explain Hamilton’s engine cut-outs during Mexican Grand Prix
elchinero (@elchinero)
29th October 2022, 15:12
What is this “coke” they speak of and what are the “stalks” with K&N filters?
AlanD
29th October 2022, 15:19
@Elchinero, I think it refers to the engine cooling louvres. Earlier in the year I heard it referred to as a “coke bottle shape”, but still it is a confusing term.