F1 Rumour: Aston Martin To Bring Updates Ahead of Schedule To Australian Grand Prix
It is expected that Aston Martin will be bringing in updates to the rear wing of the AMR23 for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with rumours it could make an early appearance at this weekend's Australian Grand Prix.
Aston Martin, as a customer team of Mercedes, currently has a rear wing which is more suited to the Brackley-based squad's controversial zero-pod design.
According to Formu1a.uno, The Mercedes-inspired design is larger near the floor, affecting airflow through the AMR23's diffuser. This specification works for the Mercedes W14, however, the Aston Martin requires a rear wing which will generate more drag.
Despite Fernando Alonso getting the third spot on the podium for both races so far this season in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, he has been significantly off of the pace of the dominating Red Bull's, and the rear wing could be having a huge impact on this.
Though budget cap constraints make immediate fixes challenging, the team has introduced a slightly modified DRS flap to reduce resistance. The real excitement, however, lies in the upcoming Australian GP, where a lower-loaded wing could make its debut ahead of schedule.
Red Bull are expected to continue dominating throughout the early stages of the long season ahead. However, with the Austrian team suffering from reduced time in the wind tunnel following their cost cap breach in 2021, the general consensus within the paddock is that other teams such as Aston Martin will close the gap to them.
Aston Martin has been one of the most surprising teams this season after the significant improvements they have made over the winter break. Hopefully, the updated rear wing will only make them more competitive at the front of the grid.