Aston Martin brought substantial upgrades to the 2023 Canadian Grand Prix, catching the attention of Formula 1 enthusiasts.
While publicly described as an updated floor and a new engine cover, the true extent of the improvements was underestimated, according to F1 tech expert Sam Collins.
Teams are required to inform the FIA of any significant upgrades before each race weekend, with a document shared with the media detailing the changes.
Aston Martin’s listing of upgrades appeared somewhat modest, mentioning the engine cover but neglecting to mention the extensive modifications to the sidepods, floor edges, and rear of the car that were evident when the cars were unveiled.
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Throughout the season, Aston Martin’s approach to upgrades had been one of evolution rather than revolution.
However, their strategy shifted significantly in Canada, as they aimed to close the gap to Red Bull and establish themselves as the leading team in the “best of the rest” category.
Collins, analysing the upgraded AMR23 in detail, uncovered more than what met the eye.
Aston Martin had made substantial changes to the shape of the sidepods, particularly noticeable at the base, as well as introducing a new floor.
Collins pointed out that certain exciting aspects of the floor, hidden from view when the car is on the ground, required the intervention of a crane to be observed.
Drawing comparisons between Aston Martin and Ferrari, Collins highlighted the distinctive deep scalloping and raised centre section of the bodywork seen in both cars.
“Well, Aston Martin has been a little bit cheeky, perhaps, because they listed the upgrades and they sort of said: ‘We’ve got a new engine cover’, but didn’t go into great detail, talking about how much of the sidepod shape has really changed on this car because I think it goes a lot further than the engine cover itself,” Collins said.
“What I really want to draw your attention to actually is the shape on the base of the sidepod – that’s something that’s really dramatically different,” he elaborated.
READ: Aston Martin bring major upgrade package to 2023 Canada GP
“Aston Martin has done a huge amount of work here. They’ve introduced a completely new floor as well but, as we saw in Monaco, really exciting bits of the floor you can’t see with the car on the ground.
“A driver has to induce a crane intervention to let us see what’s going on underneath it, and I don’t think either driver wants to do that!”
This design approach diverged from the class-leading Red Bull concept, indicating that teams are exploring different engineering concepts to find their way forward.