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Formula 1 Abu Dhabi GP

Abu Dhabi GP: F1 tech images from the pitlane explained

Join us as we delve into the Formula 1 technical features on display in the pitlane as teams prepare for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, courtesy of Giorgio Piola and Sutton Images.

Alfa Romeo C43 front wing detail

Giorgio Piola's F1 technical analysis

Giorgio Piola is the preeminent Formula 1 technical journalist. View our full selection of Giorgio's technical illustrative content


Ferrari SF-23 technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Ferrari SF-23 technical detail

The Ferrari SF-23 being prepared with a kiel probe rake ahead of the rear wheel on the right-hand side of the car to capture data during practice.


Red Bull Racing RB19 technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Red Bull Racing RB19 technical detail

This image of the front brake assembly on the Red Bull RB19 shows us what’s going on beneath the outer brake drum, with the tube-like fins on the surface of the caliper and the fairing that surrounds the brake disc both used to help manage temperatures.


Ferrari SF-23 technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Ferrari SF-23 technical detail

The back end of the Ferrari SF-23 chassis, which has temperature stickers on the main body, while the mounting bolts on the rear of the chassis that would ordinarily house the power unit are also visible.


Mercedes F1 W14 technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Mercedes F1 W14 technical detail

The row of front wings stacked up outside the Mercedes garage have different flap layouts and the diveplanes in different configurations on the endplates’ outer surface.


Mercedes F1 W14 technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Mercedes F1 W14 technical detail

This shot from the front shows the various flap configurations that Mercedes has at its disposal, all of which offer a different level of downforce and alter how the air flows downstream to the rest of the car.


McLaren MCL60 technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

McLaren MCL60 technical detail

This head-on view of the McLaren MCL60 is insightful in terms of the view granted of the floor fences and shows how much further back the leading edge of the upper lip of the sidepod is than the lower one.


The McLaren MCL60 in the pit lane

Photo by: James Sutton / Motorsport Images

The McLaren MCL60 in the pit lane

A side-on view of the MCL60 also shows off that difference in the position of the sidepod inlets leading edges and also provides a view of the splitter winglet and the outer floor fence.


AlphaTauri AT04 floor

Photo by: Filip Cleeren

AlphaTauri AT04 floor

A great view down the lines of the AlphaTauri AT04, which has a new floor at this race, the edge of which is shown off very well here, along with the gulley in the sidepod arrangement that has been added during the season.


AlphaTauri AT04 floor

Photo by: Filip Cleeren

AlphaTauri AT04 floor

Another angle that shows off the floor edge and edge wing on the AlphaTauri AT04, which incorporates the straked scroll section at the front of the edge wing assembly, before tapering to a tail that faces in the opposite direction.


AlphaTauri AT04 technical detail

Photo by: Filip Cleeren

AlphaTauri AT04 technical detail

Silver tape is applied to the AT04’s front brake inlet to reduce how much air is being taken in to cool the brakes.


Aston Martin AMR23 rear wing

Photo by: Filip Cleeren

Aston Martin AMR23 rear wing

Aston Martin has a new rear wing and beam wing assembly in Abu Dhabi, which features the open-ended tip section that the team introduced in Monaco but has barely appeared since. There’s also a gentle curvature of the trailing edge of the upper flap that blends into the lower tip section, while the endplate has also been modified to pinch more inwardly in the lower beam wing section.


Aston Martin AMR23 rear wing

Photo by: Filip Cleeren

Aston Martin AMR23 rear wing

The side view gives more of an idea of how the endplate has been twisted in the lower half, and note that a teardrop-shaped housing is mounted in the slit-style engine cover outlet, which houses a camera that’s looking back at the wing to monitor its performance.


Aston Martin AMR23 rear wing

Photo by: Filip Cleeren

Aston Martin AMR23 rear wing

A rear view of the new assembly, with the changes to the endplate providing a different surface curvature on approach to the upwashing contouring that the inward face of the endplate already possessed.


Alfa Romeo C43 front wing detail

Photo by: Filip Cleeren

Alfa Romeo C43 front wing detail

Alfa Romeo has revised its front wing for Abu Dhabi as it looks at a different development trajectory for 2024. The side view here shows off the new endplate design.


Alfa Romeo C43 front wing detail

Photo by: Filip Cleeren

Alfa Romeo C43 front wing detail

There are also changes to the configuration of the flaps, with a more evenly distributed loading profile across their span.


Mercedes W14 rear wing

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Mercedes W14 rear wing

Mercedes has installed tufts on the rear wing of their W14 for practice once more, as the team look to gather more data on the performance of the item. It has the infill panel installed in the rear corner of the endplate, rather than the cutout.


McLaren MCL 60 rear wing

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

McLaren MCL 60 rear wing

McLaren with a kiel probe rake attached to the leading edge of the mainplane to capture data.


Alfa Romeo C43 technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Alfa Romeo C43 technical detail

Alfa Romeo with kiel probe rakes behind both front wheel assemblies to log data regarding the new front wing.


Aston Martin Racing AMR23 rear wing

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Aston Martin Racing AMR23 rear wing

Another view of the Aston’s new rear wing layout and the camera mounted in the pod on top of the engine cover.


Aston Martin Racing AMR23 technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Aston Martin Racing AMR23 technical detail

Kiel probe rakes mounted behind the front wheel assemblies on the AMR23 for the early running in Free Practice 1.


Alfa Romeo C43 technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Alfa Romeo C43 technical detail

A large kiel probe rake mounted on the rear end of one of the Alfa Romeo C43s for FP1.


Alfa Romeo C43 technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Alfa Romeo C43 technical detail

A smaller kiel probe rake mounted on the side of the airbox of the other C43 for FP1.


Alfa Romeo C43 technical detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Alfa Romeo C43 technical detail

A rear view of the rake mounted behind the front wheel assembly on the Alfa Romeo.


Red Bull Racing RB19 rear detail with sensors

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

Red Bull Racing RB19 rear detail with sensors

A kiel probe rake mounted behind the rear wheels, rear brake ducts and diffuser edges on the Red Bull RB19 for FP1.


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