F1 Teams Unleash Major Upgrades at United States GP: Mercedes Leads with ‘Substantial’ W15 Update

Mercedes has unveiled a significant upgrade for the United States Grand Prix in Formula 1. Here is a list of the enhancements each team has introduced for this race.

A number of Formula 1 teams have introduced significant updates to their cars for the United States Grand Prix happening this weekend.

Mercedes is launching what is expected to be their last major upgrade of the year for their W15 model, as their championship competitors, Red Bull and McLaren, are also set to unveil new components for their cars in Austin.

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Below is a comprehensive rundown of all the modifications each team has introduced at the Circuit of the Americas.

Red Bull

Edge of the Floor: Performance and Localized Load. The camber of the edge wing in the last third has been adjusted. By increasing the camber in this section, a greater local load is produced while still preserving the stability of the airflow.

Coke/Engine Cover: Tailored for the specific circuit – Cooling Range. The junction where the upper sidepod surface meets the lower part of the floor has been reshaped. Building on prior modifications, these geometric adjustments aim to optimize cooling while reducing the size of the louvre openings.

Mercedes Front Wing: Performance – Flow Optimization. Modification in the twist distribution of the flaps. Adjusting the spanwise twist of the flaps decreases the wake from the front wing, enhancing airflow to the rear of the car and increasing rear downforce.

Front Suspension: Enhanced Performance – Optimized Flow Management. The upper wishbone fairing has been redesigned. This redesign has expanded the operating range, enhancing the connection of the rear leg and improving airflow to the back of the vehicle.

Floor Edge: Functionality – Localized Load. A new vane component has been incorporated into the floor edge wing. This extra vane boosts the mass flow beneath the front section of the floor, which enhances the vorticity released from the fence system and subsequently increases the load on the floor.

Inlet of the Sidepod: Designed for specific circuits – Cooling Capacity. The lower edge of the sidepod inlet has been shifted backward. The alteration in the shape of the lower edge has enhanced the alignment of airflow, accommodating a broader array of operating conditions and cooling intensities, which in turn boosts engine cooling efficiency.

Coke/Engine Cover: Tailored for the circuit – Cooling Scope. Extra cooling outlets are positioned near the rear suspension arms. Another cooling outlet has been introduced near the rear suspension to boost sidepod airflow while reducing effects on components further back, like the rear wing.

Floor Barriers: Efficiency – Flow Optimization. Redesigned interior barrier. The updated barrier design has enhanced the local pressure distribution and vorticity placement, leading to better load management locally and further along by optimizing the initial airflow.

Ferrari

No modifications.

McLaren

Front Wing: Performance – Flow Management

The redesigned front wing structure enhances the management of airflow. It works in tandem with the revamped front suspension geometry under different conditions, leading to better aerodynamic performance.

Front Suspension: Performance – Optimized Flow with New Design. The newly developed front suspension is crafted to complement the updated front wing geometry, which is intended to enhance the improved airflow dynamics it brings.

Front Section: Efficiency – Improved Airflow with Modified Front Brake Duct Components The front brake duct components have been modified to align with the updates made to the front wing and suspension, leading to enhanced airflow performance overall.

Title: Track-Specific Component – Low Cooling Front Brake Duct

For circuits that require minimal cooling for the front brakes, a specially designed front brake duct with reduced cooling capacity is available. This modification enhances the vehicle's overall aerodynamic performance, though it decreases the cooling efficiency for the front brakes.

Back Section: Efficiency – Enhanced Flow Modification for Rear Suspension Cover. Minor adjustments made to the rear suspension covers are designed to enhance the overall quality of airflow in various situations, facilitating the creation of aerodynamic forces.

Back Section: Tailored for the circuit – New RBD Cooling Exit in Cooling Range. The redesigned rear brake duct cooling exit has been created to enhance the overall cooling efficiency of the rear corner assembly.

Beam Wing: Tailored for specific circuits – Drag Variation. A single-element beam wing paired with a high downforce rear wing has been introduced to this event. This setup, which exerts less load, effectively minimizes drag while maintaining high levels of downforce.

Aston Martin

Front Wing: Performance – Local Load. The front wing has been updated with a new distribution of twist and a redesigned flap. These alterations, which include adjustments to the front wing and endplate, aim to enhance the wing assembly's spanwise load, thereby boosting performance.

Front Wing Endplate: Functionality – Regional Force. The endplate, along with the front wing, now features updated tip designs. These modifications to the front wing and endplate adjust the distribution of load across the wing structure, enhancing overall performance.

Coke/Engine Cover: Performance – Local Load. The updated body design features a modified coke line and a more straightforward upper shoulder. Together, the bodywork and the floor enhance the airflow beneath the floor, boosting the local load on the lower surface and thereby improving performance.

Main Structure of the Floor: Efficiency – Area-specific Pressure. In many areas, the central structure of the floor has progressed along with developments at the periphery. Together, the bodywork and the floor enhance the airflow beneath the floor, boosting the area-specific pressure exerted on the underside and thereby enhancing efficiency.

Edge of the Floor: Efficiency – Localized Pressure. Minor modifications have been made to the specifics of the floor edge wing and the main floor section adjacent to it. The combination of the bodywork and floor enhances the airflow beneath the floor, boosting the local pressure on the underside, thereby enhancing efficiency.

Diffuser: Efficiency – Localized Pressure. The profile of the diffuser's roof and sidewall has been altered slightly. Together, the body structure and the floor enhance the airflow beneath the vehicle, which boosts the localized pressure on the lower surface and, as a result, enhances performance.

Alpine

The main floor's structure: Enhancements in performance involve adjusting the local load distribution across different sections of the main floor. This includes optimizing the overall shape of the floor to enhance the flow of air beneath it, aiming to boost the load produced by the floor.

Edge of the Floor: Functionality – Modification for Local Load at Floor Edge. The floor edge has been re-engineered to enhance the quality of airflow beneath the floor. This edge design operates alongside the newly redesigned floor structure.

New Design for Coke/Engine Cover: Enhanced Aerodynamics – Optimized Flow. The redesigned bodywork aims to enhance airflow management and improve its interaction with both the vehicle's floor and rear section.

Rear Wing: Functionality – Adjusted Local Load The main section and flap of the rear wing have been reshaped. This new rear wing setup is designed to increase efficiency by providing greater load on the rear wing. It serves as an appropriate choice for this specific track.

Williams

No improvements made.

RB

Floor Structure: Efficiency and Performance Enhancement – Localized Load. Modifications made to the primary interface between the underbody and chassis. These changes aim to boost localized downforce production and minimize the loss within the underbody components.

Sauber

Front Wing: Performance – Aerodynamic Optimization All components of the front wing have been modified. These new designs are intended to enhance the airflow around the front tires. This leads to a beneficial impact on the airflow further along the vehicle, boosting the car's overall downforce and enhancing its aerodynamic properties.

Front Suspension: Enhancing Functionality – Streamlining Airflow. Alongside the introduction of the new FW, modifications have been made to the front suspension covers, including those for the pullrod, track rod, and lower wishbone. In conjunction with the new FW, these covers were adjusted to match the incoming airflow pattern, ensuring smoother airflow over the rest of the vehicle.

Rear Suspension: Enhancements – Improved Airflow An updated cover for the rear upper wishbone has been introduced. The rear upper wishbone fairing has been upgraded to enhance local airflow. When combined with the modified rear brake duct, this results in a slight boost in efficiency.

Back Section: Efficiency Enhancement – Streamlining Airflow. The upper deflectors of the rear brake ducts received updates alongside modifications to the rear top wishbone cover. These adjustments were made together with the revised wishbone cover. The improved airflow in this area and the synergy with the new component result in a slight boost in efficiency.

Haas

Sidepod Inlet: Efficiency – Enhanced Airflow Management with Deeper Undercut. By deepening the undercut beneath the sidepod inlet, the airflow is directed more effectively towards the back of the vehicle. This, along with the updated floor design, contributes to a more evenly distributed boost in the car's overall performance.

Floor Structure: Enhanced Performance – Adjusted Local Load The initial floor design and diffuser shape have been modified. By boosting the front floor suction and optimizing rear extraction, the floor's overall performance has been significantly improved.

Floor Barriers: Efficiency – Adjusted Flow Management The enhanced extraction at the front of the floor necessitated a new arrangement of the front floor barriers to effectively handle varying flow characteristics.

Edge of the Floor: Functionality – Enhanced Load for New Wing Design on Edge. The updated floor configuration permits increased efficiency from the floor's edge, resulting in a superior design that enables the car to achieve higher performance levels.

Back Section: Efficiency – Enhanced Local Load on the IB Cascade. The upgraded floor at the back of the vehicle increases extraction from the rear section. This is accomplished by adding an upward-flowing feature on the inner side of the rear drum.

Coke/Engine Cover: Tailored for the circuit – Cooling Capacity. If extra cooling is needed, there is an option for a larger central opening on the engine cover.

Cooling Louvres: Tailored for Specific Circuits – Cooling Capacity. A redesigned cooling louver has been introduced on the sidepod and engine cover. Alongside the new engine cover, there are extra cooling louver choices that enhance heat removal while attempting to reduce the impact on drag.

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