F1 technical updates - 2023 Hungarian GP

Red Bull Racing and sister team AlphaTauri headline the schedule of upgrades for the Hungarian Grand Prix, with both making major aerodynamic revisions in Budapest.

Red Bull Racing has been dealing with a 10 percent reduction in development time owing to its penalty for breaching the 2021 cost cap and has thus far refrained from bringing major upgrades to the RB19 this season. The team has listed five major parts to the upgrade package applied at the Hungaroring, though four of those components have reliability listed as their primary purpose.

The car has enlarged front and rear brake ducts that will help deal with the higher braking energy generated around the twisty Budapest circuit, The rear duct exits will also add local load.

The sidepod air inlets have been reprofiled in a way that will boost radiator cooling efficiency but will also likely boost aerodynamic efficiency. The engine cover has also been revised in sympathy with the wider intakes.

A new floor is the only component listed as being primarily driven by performance considerations. Unfortunately for the team, Sergio Perez’s FP1 crash allowed photographers to snap some photos of the floor body just minutes after making its on-track debut.

The crash damage appeared focused on the left-front corner of the car, potentially damaging one of the Mexican’s new brake ducts as well as parts of the floor.

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AlphaTauri has brought a new front and rear wing, a new nose and a new floor body, all of which are targeted at improving aerodynamic efficiency by producing more downforce for less drag.

The Italian team brought a large update package to the British Grand Prix, which technical director Jody Egginton said produced downforce largely in line with expectations despite a lukewarm response from his drivers.

The team will be hoping its latest set of new parts will improve the car’s balance, particularly rear stability on corner entry.

Mercedes has made changes to its front wing endplates and front suspension to boost downforce, while a new rear wing has been applied as a circuit-specific part.

Ferrari and Alpine have both brought Hungary-specific front wings to tackle the low-speed track and its high downforce demands.

Aston Martin has designed a new engine cover it expects to improve cooling efficiency. Heat management tends to be critical at the typically warm Hungaroring, where the lack of long straights and the track’s bowl-like topography minimize cooling opportunities.

Haas has brought a new floor with modified outboard components to improve flow efficiency.