Low-downforce wings headline F1 Italian GP updates

Formula 1 teams have detailed their low-drag aerodynamic set-ups for this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, in line with the traditional approach to the high-speed Monza circuit.

Every year, teams tend to produce bespoke rear wing options to satisfy the straightline speed requirements needed to be competitive at the ‘Temple of Speed’ – by reducing the cross-sectional area of the wing perpendicular to the direction of travel, drag is reduced and thus the engine power needed to overcome drag is also reduced.

Heading into the round it was unknown whether teams would, given the late stages of this ruleset, develop all-new wings or simply repurpose last year’s designs. 

McLaren has declared a new rear wing assembly for this weekend, with a shallower mainplane and a short-chord rear wing flap to maximise the drag reduction from the overall geometry. This includes a new beam wing and a trimmed-back upper front wing element.

But McLaren’s developments go further, including new front suspension fairings to further increase the effect of reducing drag. 

Ferrari has noted a new front wing flap; reducing the downforce and drag of the front wing also helps to balance the car with the ‘de-powered’ rear end. However, the team says it has rolled over its lower-downforce wing options from last year – which helped Charles Leclerc clinch a home victory for the team.

Mercedes W16

Photo by: Jay Hirano / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images

Red Bull, meanwhile, has not declared a new rear wing at all – it will use a lower downforce option already in its pool. It has offered shorter third and fourth wing elements at the front wing to balance that.

The Milton Keynes squad has, however, declared “subtle” changes to its floor body to produce more load, and has also modified the floor edges and fences to suit. 

Mercedes also has a floor fence change for this round to extract more performance from the floor edge devices and diffuser, also declaring a minor change to the tips of its existing low-downforce rear wing and trimmed-back front wing.

Aston Martin has declared a new rear wing flap to incorporate into its existing rear wing, as has Racing Bulls. The VCARB 02 also gets updates to the floor, along with revised sidepods as it appears to opt for a larger (and presumably final) update package for the year. This also includes a new mirror housing.

Haas and Williams have also arrived at Monza with trimmed out versions of its low-downforce front and rear wings; Alpine and Sauber have not declared anything new, and thus can be assumed to have existing low-downforce components ready.