Toro Rosso and Sahara Force India, the aerodynamic evolutions
Toro Rosso seeks to better manage the hot air flow at the rear of its car. The change seems insignificant, but it is particularly important.
The STR9 has been given a slimming treatment by Toro Rosso, who removed the curvature of its sidepods to provide a more gradual line towards the back of the car. The hot air outlets on each side of the exhaust are now lower, similar to Red Bull and Mercedes AMG. Force India has undergone the same evolution, with only the McLaren team missing.
But this lowering has mainly allowed for the modification of certain parts of the car, to lower them, and thus the center of gravity is closer to the ground.
The monkey seat that was present during the Monaco Grand Prix was removed for the Canadian GP, which requires less downforce, but reintroduced in Austria.
The technical director of Toro Rosso, James Key, has stated that the major update should appear at Silverstone and Hockenheim.
The Sahara Force India team, on the other hand, introduced a new wing on the VJM07 in Austria. This wing evolves in a simple yet pragmatic way.
The winglet deflector is retouched to increase the airflow on the outside of the wheel. The curve of the plate evolves to adopt a design considered more flexible, allowing a maximum amount of air to pass underneath the car and improve the functioning of the rear of the car.
The anchor points of the wing are modified; in fact, they are moved forward, which also alters the support pillars. At the same time, they changed the airflow passing under the car and increased it. The new mounts provide more stability to the car. The wing is attached by two titanium screws on each pillar. The nose is not modified but redesigned so that the wing is advanced by approximately 5cm.
Finally, a fin is added to each brake scoop, which allows for better management of the airflow around the sidepod.
