Among the most observed teams on the track this weekend will certainly be Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin. Ferrari is clearly under the most scrutiny for the introduction of their first real update package on the SF-24. Still, it is also worth observing that Aston Martin will also have important updates.
In fact, Dan Fallows’ technical group will continue, also in the first European round of the F1 world championship, the update program of its AMR24, which will follow the one introduced above all in Suzuka, to try to get closer to the three leading teams.
“We are bringing an upgrade to Imola as part of our ongoing development programme. This should address several areas of improvement that we have identified.
“But it’s all relative. No one stands still in F1, and our competitors will also be bringing new parts,” said Mike Krack.
The team principal of the Silverstone-based team continued:
“All we can do is focus on ourselves and continue to close the gap with the leaders. Everyone on the team is pushing hard, and this weekend’s update is just another example of everyone’s tireless effort and dedication.”
A completely new front wing makes its debut at Imola
In Japan, Aston Martin had introduced a package of updates which concerned the bottom and the bellies. However, as anticipated yesterday, the innovations at Imola will also concern the front part of the AMR24. These upgrades feature a new wing and nose that was immediately shown by the English team in the pit lane.
While in Australia some changes had already been introduced to the front wing, especially in the flap area, in Imola a completely new specification was introduced, different in practically all areas: from the endplates, to the mainplane, up to the flaps.
The final shape of the nose also changes slightly, still positioned on the second element of the wing, which now has two small openings with new support in the centre of them. The design of the main plane, however, changes a lot, and you can see a central spoon that is much more accentuated than the previous specification, with a more ‘V’ shape.
In addition to this, the English team have modified the front wing design. Aston Martin has introduced a particular solution in the upper element in the area where the flap adjustment device is located.
The solution is innovative and resembles a seagull in flight, thanks to its ‘V’ profile. The external bulkhead has also been modified, no longer presenting a curved exit profile, but has now become straight.
Alonso: “We are trying to add performance in every race”
There is always a strong curiosity about how much an update, according to the team, could be worth in chronometric terms, even before it has made its debut on the track.
“How much should the new pieces bring? Much less than what was published by the Spanish media. But I think it will be a good step,” Fernando Alonso said in response to questions from some media, including Formu1a.uno.
“But we took a good step forward in Bahrain, then in Jeddah, Australia and Japan, and also in Miami. At every race, we brought new parts, and in Imola, it’s not that different.
“We’ll see tomorrow if it will give us more lap time than the other updates.”
The two-time world champion clearly highlighted how the fact that we will return to racing with the normal weekend format in Imola could allow the team to further optimise the new package and setup, announcing new updates in Monte Carlo, Canada and Barcelona.
In this first part of the season, the AMR24 showed better performance in qualifying compared to Sunday. However, according to Alonso, the updates that will debut tomorrow are not specific to improving race pace.
“At the moment, what we are bringing is more focused on adding performance to the car. I.e. more load, less resistance to progress and therefore simply a better lap time,” Alonso said.
“Every time we have brought something to the track. It seemed to be wind tunnel related and that added performance to the car, which is good. But this is a relative game.
“If you bring half a tenth and the whole grid brings two-tenths to the track, you are a tenth and a half worse off than them.”
However, the Spanish driver is very confident about the work that the technical department is carrying out at Silverstone.
“Our car is better than last year, as is our progress. But the results are not because the top four teams are doing an incredible job. But I have full faith in the team because I see that we are going in the right direction .”
