TURKIA GP 2008 : Technical news

Ferrari F2008 - reduced cooling vents

For this year the Turkish Grand Prix has moved from August to May and the lower temperatures mean teams can afford to reduce the number of cooling vent slits on their cars' sidepods. In the case of Ferrari, the F2008 sports only half the number of upper vents it would in high-temperature configuration (blue arrow indicates where the additional slits would be). This change slightly improves the car's aerodynamcic efficiency, especially on Istanbul Park's long straights.

Red Bull RB4 - V-cut on rear wing flap

A small but interesting change was introduced on the RB4 in Turkey, following on from the big aero overhaul debuted at the previous round in Spain, and it's one that will play an even more relevant role at the next race in Monaco. A deep V-shaped cut was placed in the middle-top of the rear wing flap, providing a vent for the high-pressure airflow impacting the wing profile in this area. Its purpose? To reduce the increased drag generated on the straights when running the kind of high flap angles essential on a tight, twisty circuit like Monte Carlo.

Williams FW30 - revised front bridge wing

Introduced in Turkey, this solution is an evolution of the aero package debuted at the last round in Barcelona. The upper profile of the wing is now divided into three sections by means of two small vertical fences. These allow a slight increase in the profile depth of the two outermost sections of the wing (inset), producing more downforce without having to increase the flap angle (and hence drag). It's particularly effective on a track like Istanbul Park, which requires strong top-speed performance on the long straights, but also sharp front-end handling in the circuit's twistier sections, including the notorious Turn Eight.

BMW Sauber F1.08 - front wing development

Although only a small development, BMW's introduction of long vertical fences (yellow detail) under the F1.08's front wing is interesting to note and similar to a solution introduced in 2007. In addition a horizontal winglet has been placed on the rear section of the fence towards its upper edge. The fence splits the airflow passing near the upper flap, while the additional small winglet prevents the air from passing too close to the element thereby reducing drag and turbulence.

McLaren MP4-23 - front barge board development

On all the cars the front end plays a crucial role in terms of aero efficiency and even the tiniest detail can make a big difference. One example in Turkey is the small barge boards on the McLaren, placed just under the front suspension's lower wishbone, which feature a horizontal arched section (yellow arrow). The height of this arch has been increased, providing a more pronounced channel for the airflow around the lowest section of the barge boards. This generates a sort of Venturi effect that not only provides slightly more downforce, but more importantly speeds up the airflow in this area so as to increase the extraction of air from under the front wing's main profile, hence improving its efficiency. It's a solution very different from Ferrari's vented nose, but one whose function is almost the same.

McLaren MP4-23 - brake drum dimension checker

Following Heikki Kovalainen's dramatic accident in Spain - caused by a wheel manufacturing fault leading to continuous contact between the inner side of the rim and the carbonfibre brake drum - in Turkey, McLaren have been using a special device to monitor the drum's dimensions. The device (silver) is attached to the wheel nut and rotated around the circumference of the brake drum to check whether, after use, there is significant dilation of the drum due to the heat generated under braking. The gap between rim and drum is purposely tiny to ensure maximum aerodynamic efficiency, but it also means that even a small dilation could potentially cause contact problems.