The Formula 1 paddock is buzzing with excitement as teams reveal their high-downforce rear wings, specifically designed for the unique challenges of the Monaco Grand Prix. With an eye on dethroning Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren are front and center in this technical arms race.
Ferrari and McLaren are aggressively closing the gap to Red Bull, with McLaren’s Lando Norris fresh off a win in Miami and pushing Verstappen hard at Imola. Now, the focus shifts to the winding streets of Monaco, where Red Bull expects to struggle more due to the tight, bumpy circuit.
As is tradition for Monaco, all ten teams have introduced specialized rear wing assemblies prioritizing maximum downforce, even if it means dealing with more drag. Ferrari, for instance, has rolled out a new rear wing based on their recent updates from Imola. The modification includes a semi-detached flap tip and a flattened mainplane surface to enhance load configuration. This is the Scuderia’s first adjustment to its rear wing for higher downforce this season, despite having an unused high-downforce option at Suzuka.
McLaren’s new rear wing assembly features circuit-specific tweaks and an updated beam wing to efficiently increase downforce at high-downforce circuits like Monaco. This suggests that their modifications will be beneficial beyond this weekend.
Red Bull has also fine-tuned both their rear and beam wings, increasing chord and camber to enhance aerodynamic load. They’ve even added notches to their front suspension fairings to handle Monaco’s extremely tight Fairmont hairpin better.
Mercedes has introduced a novel approach with a new front wing that not only boosts local load but also modifies the vortex towards the rear, improving tire wake. Meanwhile, Aston Martin has chosen a more aggressive high-downforce wing, accepting a loss in aero efficiency for this specific circuit.
Other teams are not sitting still either. Alpine, Williams, Haas, and Sauber have all rolled out rear wings and other Monaco-specific tweaks. Notably, Alpine’s new halo fairing stands out as a unique innovation.
Monaco always demands the best from both drivers and engineers, and this year is no exception. With each team bringing their A-game in terms of technical updates, the race promises to be a closely contested battle. Fans will be eagerly watching to see how these changes play out on the historic circuit.
