In a bid to enhance performance at the high-speed Spa-Francorchamps circuit, McLaren and Mercedes have introduced significant low-drag updates for the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix.
Both teams are determined to close the gap with championship leader Red Bull, pushing the envelope with new beam wings and circuit-specific front and rear wings. Mercedes has opted for a shorter chord length on the upper elements of its front wing, paired with a shallower rear wing to minimize drag. Meanwhile, the rear wing retains its detached edges for greater control over flow structures, albeit at a lower angle of attack to reduce drag.
Key to Mercedes’s strategy is a new floor edge wing, designed to create lower pressure near the floor fences and extract more downforce. Additionally, the halo has undergone modifications, losing its usual winglet and sporting small wool tufts to study flow patterns. A new diffuser also aims to boost underbody flow acceleration, contributing to overall downforce.
Not to be outdone, McLaren has also brought a low-downforce rear wing that features a squarer mainplane element with less camber, reducing drag. The wing’s detached endplates help manage the flow effects shed from the car. McLaren’s single-element beam wing can be adjusted with the upper wing flap to enhance DRS efficiency on straights, compensating for a shortened DRS zone on the Kemmel Straight by 75 meters.
Both teams have painstakingly re-engineered their cars to meet the unique demands of the Spa circuit, often referred to as a ‘high isochronal’ circuit due to its emphasis on the lift/drag ratio. This focus on efficiency requires not just reduced drag but also optimized downforce generation from the car’s floor. Therefore, these updates are crucial for cutting drag while maintaining competitive performance.
These innovative upgrades from McLaren and Mercedes highlight their relentless drive to challenge Red Bull’s dominance. The focus on reducing drag while maintaining downforce illustrates their meticulous approach to engineering excellence.
