Top Chinese Grand Prix Tech Updates: Latest F1 Innovations & Upgrades

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As anticipated with the recent updates for Australia and the first round of F1, the back-to-back races have resulted in limited reporting as we approach Round 2 and the inaugural sprint weekend.

Only 4 out of 10 teams submitted updates, and these are only minor modifications. I will provide a detailed analysis of the updates below. Please note that this does not imply that the teams are operating identical cars to last weekend or Australia.

As previously mentioned, teams are permitted to bring updates without explicitly listing them. The implementation of the cost cap several years ago, coupled with the established regulations, has led to a trend of design and component reuse in subsequent seasons.

For instance, if a team utilizes the same rear wing design from last year, they can fabricate a new rear wing to the original specifications and install it on the car without declaring it an update - as it has already been reported.

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Breakdown of Rear Wings and the FIA

Regarding rear wings, it is imperative that we address the newly introduced technical directive regarding their flexing. I have summarised the directive below for your reference. 

The Issue

The FIA has identified that some teams were potentially exploiting rear wing flexibility to gain an advantage, particularly in what's been dubbed a "mini DRS" effect. 

The Current Test‍

The current test involves applying a 75kg vertical load to the rear wing mainplane, with the distance between the mainplane and the flap (slot gap) not varying by more than 2mm. 

The New Test

From the Chinese Grand Prix onwards, this limit will be reduced to 0.5mm, meaning the rear wing will be allowed to flex much less under load. 

China Specific Tolerance‍

For the Chinese Grand Prix, there will be a one-off tolerance of 0.25mm, meaning the limit for this race will be 0.75mm. 

Why the Change?‍

The FIA's decision follows the analysis of footage from the Australian Grand Prix, where cameras were used to monitor rear wing deformation on track, combined with static measurements in the garage. 

Legal Compliance‍

All cars tested at the Australian Grand Prix were found to be in compliance with the existing regulations. ‍

Future Implications‍

The new rule change is expected to force teams to either strengthen their rear wings or redesign them to avoid the "mini DRS" effect. 

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McLaren

Rear Corner

McLaren have brought with them a rear corner update for this weekend. This is a performance flow conditioning update according to the team and is a new rear brake duct winglet.

The team has described the change, saying it will improve local flow physics in interaction with floor and tyre, resulting in an overall gain in aerodynamic performance. This correlates with tyre wear and degradation as it is designed to improve the flow of air around the rear wheels to help improve this area of the McLaren.

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VCARB (Racing Bulls)

Front Wing

VCARB have brought with them a change to the front wing. The team have said that it’s a circuit-specific update to provide additional gurney options. The update has been described as for circuits with higher aero balance requirements.

Adding gurneys to the front wing increases the front wing load generated at a given flap angle. The team have also brought a track-specific update to the rear beam wing, which has been described as a raise to the trailing edge of the beam wing. Using a two-element configuration increases the overall load generated by the rear wing assembly but with some additional drag, making it suitable at some higher-downforce circuits.

It’s clear from both of these updates that the team feels there is a need to bring higher downforce to the car with the long straights that we have in China mixed with the tough cornering.

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Williams

Rear Beam Wing

As with VCARB, Williams have brought an update to the rear beam wing. Williams have said the new main beam wing is available this weekend. It is a larger span version of the wing raced in Melbourne.

There is also an optional forward lower wing that can accompany this main beam wing. This clearly has given Williams options of what set-up they can bring especially, considering you can change the settings after the sprint race and before qualifying.

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Stake

Coke/ Engine Cover

The team has reported that this is a test piece that they have brought, meaning it’s unlikely to stay on the car for the whole weekend.

It’s a simple change to the cover, which Stake has said may have a positive effect on the flow field around the bodywork surfaces, improving both overall downforce of the car and the aero efficiency. As I said, it’s unknown if this is on both cars and if it will stay for the whole weekend or if they are data gathering in free practice. My thinking is that they will use this update in the sprint to gather that data, ensuring it’s making the changes they want before committing to it for the race itself.

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So that’s it for the tech corner for China apologies its a little sparse in content but I hope you enjoyed the bits that I have been able to bring you and I will be back for round 3 and Japan. 

You can also find me on the Fantasy Formula here on FanAmp, where I will be bringing the tech to the world of Fantasy F1 once more for 2025 with Adam and our new host, Zach.

Don’t forget, we also have our feature league for you to join and all the latest on the F1 Fantasy game.

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See you all next time!

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