Red Bull and Mercedes have made a splash at the Canadian Grand Prix, showcasing significant upgrades to their cars as the 2024 F1 development race intensifies.
Red Bull, fresh off a dominant 2023 season where they won all but one of the 22 races, introduced a radical new rear wing in Montreal. Despite kicking off the 2024 season with four wins from the first five races, Red Bull has been feeling the heat from rivals McLaren and Ferrari, who claimed victories in Miami and Monaco. The tension reached a peak in Monte Carlo, with Max Verstappen finishing sixth and Sergio Perez exiting in the first stage of qualifying. Verstappen’s father, Jos, even declared that Red Bull’s dominance was waning, prompting the team to respond assertively.
The revamped rear wing from Red Bull features a reprofiled flap designed to optimize local load while ensuring stable airflow. Additionally, the team has enlarged the front-brake cooling exit duct to meet the extreme brake demands at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.
Mercedes, yet to secure a podium in 2024, also brought vital updates to Montreal. They’ve realigned the track rod and lower wishbone forward leg in the front suspension, aiming to minimize boundary-layer losses and enhance airflow to the floor. The Silver Arrows also tweaked the front corner of the W15, increasing the brake duct inlet size for this particular circuit.
Aston Martin introduced a new beam wing with lower tips, while Williams overhauled their suspension systems, including a new pullrod design for the rear. Their adjustments aim to offer a broader range of ride-height settings and bring the car closer to the legal weight limit. RB and Sauber debuted new wings tailored for Montreal, focusing on downforce and load balance, while Haas modified their front wing flap to improve efficiency.
Notably absent from the upgrade frenzy is Alpine, who chose not to bring any new parts to Canada, unlike Williams, RB, Sauber, and Haas, all striving to make significant strides. The weekend’s upgrades highlight the relentless drive among teams to outdo one another in this fiercely competitive season.
With Red Bull and Mercedes leading the charge, the Canadian Grand Prix promises an exciting showcase of engineering prowess and competitive racing as teams push the limits to gain an edge in the 2024 F1 season.
Source: Planetf1
