Mercedes lead Madrid F1 upgrades as teams brace for fresh challenge
Summary
Mercedes brings rear-wing and brake-drum upgrades to the new Madrid circuit after its Monza win, while Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren and Alpine introduce targeted changes in a tight F1 development battle.
Mercedes has arrived at the Spanish Grand Prix with new circuit-specific upgrades, leading the development pack as F1 gets its first taste of the Madring Circuit. Fresh from Monza, the Brackley squad has focused on the rear of the car to reduce drag.
Why it matters:
The Spanish Grand Prix is the first chance to see how the new Madrid layout rewards performance. With Mercedes chasing its 10th win and Red Bull trying to solve a worrying degradation problem, the upgrade battle could set the tone for the next rounds.
The details:
- Mercedes modified the rear wing and exhaust tailpipe to reduce drag, plus a reprofiled front lip around the brake drums.
- Red Bull responded to Verstappen's Monza complaints with changes to the rear wheel bodywork and floor-chassis geometry.
- Ferrari listed one upgrade: a reprofiling of the rear top wishbone to improve local load.
- McLaren made a single rear-wing change to improve airflow.
- Alpine, fresh from pole in Italy, brought an updated floorboard.
- Cadillac modified its rear wing and diffuser.
- Williams, Racing Bulls, Aston Martin, Haas and Audi have no notable upgrades.
What's next:
Madring's fast layout will show which teams have moved forward, and whether Red Bull answered its concerns.
Original Article :https://racingnews365.com/mercedes-lead-madrid-f1-upgrades-as-teams-brace-for-fr...