Giorgio Piola and Sutton Images bring you the latest Formula 1 technical updates on show in the Sochi pitlane at the Russian GP on Thursday, giving insight into the relentless development undertaken by the teams in pursuit of more performance.
Red Bull Racing RB14 rear
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Sutton Images
A great shot of the RB14’s rear end, showing off the diffuser, which rather than being a flat transition out from the central section is arched.
Ferrari SF71H front wing
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Ferrari has a new specification front wing available in Russia, which features a revised footplate design akin to the one used by Red Bull and already tested in the post-Hungarian GP test. However, the team has also added the vertical slot in the endplate that is normally associated with the Red Bull design.
Ferrari SF71H front wing end plate
Ferrari’s uplifted footplate design as tested by the team in Hungary and illustrated here.
Red Bull Racing RB14 front wing detail
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Sutton Images
The RB14’s front wing, of which the latest specification Ferrari is loosely based upon.
Ferrari SF71H front wing
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
A top-down overview of the new front wing design being trialled by Ferrari in Russia also shows that the flap transition between the adjustable section and none-adjustable section is now less abrupt.
Sauber C37 side
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
The Sauber C37 continues to be aggressively adjusted ahead of the sidepods as the team continues to look for performance. The tallest and forward-most element of the bargeboard now reaches over and connects with the side of the chassis, where a boomerang winglet previously resided and helps to navigate the airflow moving over the suspension elements.
Mercedes-AMG F1 W09 detail front wing
Photo by: Mark Sutton
Mercedes arrived in Russia with several optimisations, starting with this revised front wing, complete with a new pair of endplate canards on the inside of the endplate, while the main cascade is no longer pushed away from its edge.
Mercedes AMG F1 W09 rear wing
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
At the rear of the W09 the designers have opted to follow the suit of Ferrari and are now utilising two swan-neck style rear wing support pillars. These should not only improve the overall stability of the rear wing assembly but may also be marginally lighter in comparison with a thicker and more robust single pillar setup. It’s also noteworthy that the team has opted to mount a downwash winglet between the pillars, adjusting the trajectory of the exhaust plume and its subsequent interaction with the airflow under the rear wing.
Red Bull Racing RB14 floor
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
A nice overview of the gills and slots in the RB14’s floor ahead of the rear tyre that help to mitigate the issues of tyre squirt.
Sauber C37 floor
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
Various aerodynamically-critical surfaces on the Sauber C37 have been treated to a non-stick coating in Russia, including this section of floor as the team hope to reduce the impact any tyre marbling could have.
McLaren MCL33 side
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
A close up of McLaren’s three-panel sidepod deflectors.
Ferrari SF71H turning vanes
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
An interesting view of Ferrari’s turning vanes with the forward-reaching elements that affect the airflow that pass around them.
Ferrari SF71H turning vanes
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
A look at the previous specification turning vanes employed by Ferrari with a double-element arrangement the rearmost of which is divided by two slots.
Haas F1 Team VF-18 bargeboard detail
Photo by: Mark Sutton
A close up of Haas’ latest specification bargeboards introduced at the last round in Singapore.
Haas F1 Team VF-18 halo detail
Photo by: Mark Sutton
A look at the base of the fairing on the halo and the serrated windscreen used by the team to improve airflow around the cockpit region.
Red Bull Racing RB14 bargeboard detail
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Sutton Images
The bargeboard region of the RB14 has become an extremely complex array of surfaces, the latest iteration of which debuted in Singapore.
Mercedes-AMG F1 W09 bargeboards
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Sutton Images
An overview of the area ahead of the sidepods on the W09.
McLaren MCL33 front wing with camera
Photo by: Giorgio Piola
One of McLaren’s front wings outfitted with an aerodynamically-shaped sensor.
Mercedes-AMG F1 W09 bargeboard
Photo by: Mark Sutton
The longitudinal slot at the front of the floor has been elongated, which has required the cutout in the deflector above to require some additional surgery too (arrowed).
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