By Carlo Platella
Historically, Monte Carlo is the most demanding track in terms of downforce, coinciding with the debut of the most advanced aerodynamic packages on this front. The increase in load is achieved through adaptations in various areas of the car, including the front wing flaps, the beam wing and the rear wheel assemblies. The standout elements remain, however the hind wingswhich debut in Munich in the maximum load specification, awaiting the subsequent stages in Zandvoort and Singapore.
The Wings of Monaco
In Monte Carlo all the cars have new rear wings, starting with the world champions. Red Bull it sports a new wing with a wider central straight section, which represents a step up in terms of load compared to the version used for example in Bahrain and Japan. It’s no different Ferrari, which up until Imola had used the same medium-load rear wing for all the tracks, slightly retouched with the package that debuted in the home race. A new high-load wing finally makes its appearance in Munich, characterized by a straight line on both profiles.
In general, most teams use a main profile with a horizontal pattern, without the downward spoon to maximize the surface and chord useful for generating load. This is, for example, the case of McLaren, which in Suzuka instead fitted an element with a distinct spoon. Similar choice at home Mercedeswhose wing for Monaco recalls the maximum load version of last season.
Not just wings
Red Bull remains one of the favorites to win in the Principality, but the RB20 still has a lot to prove. In fact, the 2023 car, although a winner in Monte Carlo, did not stand out for the maximum load that could be released, a characteristic which, listening to the comments of the technical managers, would seem to continue with the RB20. The philosophy pursued in Milton Keynes is not to chase record load peaks, but rather to optimize lap time by widening the operating window as much as possible.
It is also worth remembering that the maximum load that can be released by each car depends only in part on the wings. The fund’s performance continues to dominate, but even more so the ability to limit the load loss at greater heights from the ground to which cars are forced to turn in Monte Carlo, to avoid speed bumps and curbs. Ferrari, Red Bull and McLaren point the finger at each other when asked who is the favorite for the weekend, forcing us to wait for the first tests to have a clearer picture of what the relationships will be on the field.
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