The 2023 season saw nine teams competing to watch Red Bull clinch the title. Red Bull’s dominance was such that they won almost every race of the season. Moreover, their F1 project appeared to be the fastest, with no other team coming close to beating them in a straight fight. The glorious season concluded with the team’s third consecutive world title. Therefore, the stakes and hopes were high for the 2024 season.
The season started with a bang, as the Red Bull pair scored 1-2 in the season opener at Bahrain. However, it took a drastic turn when teams like Ferrari and McLaren started gearing up. As the season’s first quarter is over, RBR, despite winning five out of seven races, isn’t the only contender for the world title. Ferrari and McLaren are ready to go all out on the reigning champions as the Monaco GP approaches.
Ferrari and McLaren Chase Red Bull As Mercedes Knock On The ‘Elite Team’ Door
A few months ago, every F1 aficionado believed RB20 was untouchable due to its pace and aerodynamic factors. However, as the seasons progressed, RB20 was within the touching range. Ferrari and McLaren technical teams were in full flow ahead of the Imola GP. These are the only two teams that have defeated the Austrian outfit in the past year. After an exciting rivalry at Miami and Imola, the showdown shifts to the streets of Monte Carlo. The Red Bull team looks paranoid about the curbs and bumps of the track. However, every team has Monac-special changes to improve the downforce. Further, the Prancing Horse made a tweak to its rear wing. The new rear wing is a semi-detached flap tip instead of the old spoon-shaped one. Moreover, this is the first instance in which Ferrari relies on rear wings to impose higher downforce.
On the other hand, McLaren opted for a different rear-wing assembly, which is circuit-specific. The tweak seems precise for a high-downforce track like Monaco. Further, the modification in the beam wing would increase the efficacy. Furthermore, Red Bull, who has been at the receiving end for a while now, has made a few minor modifications. After a nightmare at Imola, the technical team tweaked the rear and beam wings for better local aerodynamic load. The Milton Keynes-based outfit is one of the few to add cutouts to the front suspensions, allowing the drivers to navigate through tight corners. Alas, Mercedes, in an attempt to regain the ‘elite team’ status, has introduced a new front wing with a tweak in the rear. The change would alter the vortex, significantly improving the tire wake.
Aston Martin Introduces Major Upgrades While Other Teams Opt For Small Tweaks
Apart from the top four teams, Aston Martin made a radical upgrade ahead of the Monaco GP. The rear and beam wings have two changes, respectively. Further, Alpine has a long list of changes. Like others, the technical team made circuit-specific changes to the front, rear, and beam wings. However, there are a few interesting changes in the other parts. First is the change in the front suspension, which increases the road wheel angle; second is the realignment of the halo vanes on both sides of the cockpit.
Furthermore, Williams opted for a low-end change. On the other hand, team RB modified the general rear and front wings and increased the size of the cooling duct. Ultimately, Stake F1 and HAAS have made similar rear and beam wing changes.