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

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Welcome to Round 3 and Japan!

As expected there is not a huge amount of updates here with only 5 of the 10 teams opting to bring updates with them. Most of the teams have one eye on Bahrain next time out. There are a couple of reasons for this, one is logistical and the other is track performance.

The teams, next week, will have an advantage having already run their 2025 cars in Bahrain for pre season testing so they will have a wealth of data from that point. Additionally, adding to previous testing at Bahrain makes a lot of sense for the teams - so they will wait to introduce upgrades.

Another factor may, of course, be the triple header with teams focussing on Miami as their first major update, instead. After this triple header, it will give them more time to ensure they have their packages ready, especially as we are expecting lower updates to the cars as they balance 2025 cars with the backdrop of the incoming 2026 cars. The teams have to decide where they will invest their allocated time!

So here's are a look at the ones that have caught my eye this time out!

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Williams

Front Wing

The Williams update they have brought for Japan is actually 2 upgrades. However, they can be placed together and dealt as one as they both involve the front wing.

For this race, the team has made an adjustment to the front wing flap and the front wing endplate. The team has described the changes as: The rearward most element of the front wing has an updated outboard geometry. The flap has a slightly longer chord length and features a more pronounced ‘dip’ in its profile. The details of the connection to the endplate are also updated slightly, and the new endplate has a reprofiled lower rear edge and a slightly modified connection to the front wing flap.

The reason for both updates is that the endplate has to be adapted to accommodate the new flow of air created with the introduction of the new front wing flap. The purpose of this is to control the flow of air, otherwise known as the wake, that’s created as the car travels around the track.

The front wing is integral to the performance of the car. It generates downforce, which in turn improves grip and handling - as well as playing a vital role in the overall aerodynamic performance of the car. The team will be looking at how the air passes over the wing, through the suspension, and around the front wheels - hopefully improving performance while not damaging the tires that get affected by the airflow. This especially matters when the driver is in dirty air when following another car.

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VCARB (Racing Bulls)

Halo

Another airflow update this time, although a very subtle one, has been made to the VCARB Halo area.

The halo is, of course, one of the modern safety features on the F1 cars that are a mandated standard fitting and design. However, that’s not stopped teams from exploring the area around the halo and the flow of air it gives off. The teams are trying to harness this area for an advantage.

The team has said this update is a Reprofiled Halo shroud and interface to chassis. It has been designed to control the flow of air that comes off the halo and travels to the rear wing of the car, which, in turn, affects the floor performance. The hope is this upgrade will make the flow better and increase downforce in the VCARB while, of course, maintaining the safety aspect of the Halo by ensuring it is still fully FIA-compliant.

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Red Bull

Engine Cover

One of the updates that Red Bull has brought is not only the White Honda livery that the RB21 will be sporting as a tribute to the upcoming end of the Honda engine supply, but a slight tightening of the engine cover.

The cover has been changed to help the flow of air, but also, make sure that the cooling of the car isn’t impacted in any way. It’s a very subtle shape change that has appeared on the cover.

The other interesting update that Red Bull has brought is regarding the rear corner of the car, which is the area at the back of the car, specifically where the rear wing and the diffuser are located.

The update is an enlarged exit duct which has options to blank it off- meaning that the car has been fitted to ensure the RB21 is maximizing performance in future races  by allowing it to be opened or closed as they need to.

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Additional Minor Upgrades

Haas

The Haas update that has been brought is that the team has changed the central floor, aiming to improve stability when the car is running at low ride-heights in high-speed corners.

Stake

Stake’s changes come from the rear wing of the car, with a new beam wing and rear wing to improve the performance of the car. The rear wing, like an aeroplane wing but upside down, redirects airflow upwards, creating a pressure difference between the top and bottom surfaces. This pressure difference results in a downward force (downforce) that enhances grip and stability.

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That’s all from this week’s Tech Corner. I will be back next week with hopefully some more updates in Bahrain!

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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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