P1racenews AI automatic summary:
RacingNews365’s technical analyst Paolo Filisetti casts his eye over what Red Bull is hoping to achieve with its sizeable Belgian Grand Prix upgrade.
At Spa for the Belgian Grand Prix, Red Bull has introduced an extensive upgrade package, notably altering the front wing of the RB21 to enhance aerodynamic performance. The modifications include reprofiling the second and third elements of the wing to induce different airflow structures, coupled with changes to the front suspension attachment points. These tweaks incorporate small winglets for directing airflow towards the desired areas, inspired by McLaren’s recent ‘mermaid’ update. The aim is to induce uplift towards the sidepod inlets, which have been merged into a single inlet with increased cross-section, necessitating modifications to the engine cover to optimize internal fluid dynamics. While the upgrades seek to enhance aerodynamic efficiency rather than radically alter the RB21’s platform, the team hopes to shift the aerodynamic center of pressure forwards to improve performance in high-speed directional changes and fast corners. Therefore, Spa serves as the ideal venue for on-track tests to validate the upgrades and ensure consistency between wind tunnel data and real-world performance.
