Image source: formula1.it
At the Red Bull Ring, we experienced a scorching weekend (with the track always close to 50°) which, due to the thinner air at the circuit’s altitude (680 m above sea level), put the power unit temperature management of the cars to the test across all three days of activity for the Austrian Grand Prix.
The teams had done their homework. Some took more conventional routes, while others, like Ferrari, performed meticulous work, bringing the most sophisticated engine cover of the weekend to the track.
McLaren and Mercedes on the same line
In general, the teams were forced to increase both the number and size of the vents on the engine cover to extract more heat. McLaren and Mercedes (both using the same power unit) played it safe, with the Woking team increasing the number of vents to six, while the Stuttgart team went up to seven.
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The difference between the two seems to lie in the angle of the blades directing the flow. The MCL38 decided to use a greater angle than the W15, which, having narrower openings, opted to add another slot.
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Asymmetrical engine cover on the SF-24
Ferrari brought by far the most peculiar and well-thought-out solution to the track. The engine cover on the SF24 was asymmetrical, with 5 slots on the left side and 3 on the right. Moreover, the angle of the blades was not even the same. Certainly, it cannot be said that the Maranello team does not pay attention to details. The reason for choosing an asymmetrical engine cover lies in knowing that the car is far from aerodynamically efficient. This way, they maximized heat extraction on the side of the car where it would accumulate the most (with the track having a clear prevalence of right-hand turns, it was logical to foresee an increase in vents on the left side, using centrifugal force to push the heat to the outside of the turn), then reducing drag with smaller openings on the left.
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Red Bull’s impressive performance, but there’s a trick
After looking at the solutions brought to the track by the three aforementioned teams, it’s unclear how Red Bull managed to keep temperatures in the exact working window during the GP. Besides not being positioned at the peak point of the bodywork, the gills on the RB20 are much smaller compared to the competition. Seen this way, the engine cover from Milton Keynes is simply disarming.
Image source: formula1.it
However, looking through various photos from the weekend, we noticed a small detail, a trick of sorts: it appears that in the recess made in the Red Bull engine cover, there are two more vents, one on each side, and of fairly significant size. This convenient position allows for heat extraction from the engine cover without disturbing the well-defined flows around the car, which, once they reach the rear, are ready to fulfill their final task.
Image source: formula1.it
Therefore, Red Bull not only managed to maintain high efficiency in their car but also demonstrated superiority in power unit cooling. Maximum result with minimal effort.
Ferrari’s engine cover demonstrates how the team works on details. Unfortunately, the SF-24 has accumulated many problems, and solving them is not easy. Especially when new updates, instead of making progress, revive an old issue: ‘bouncing’. The effort is there, but the results are not coming.
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