At first glance, the new Aston Martin AMR22 looks very different compared to the FOM mockup. What is most fascinating, however, are the small details that could easily be overlooked without close analysis.
For starters, there are plenty of details to look at at the front of the car, most notably the four different wing profiles fitted to the front wing, which is the maximum allowed under the regulations.
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the airfoils is the length of their flaps , with a much deeper main plane and second element, plus two much shorter upper fins.
The main plane of the front wing has been designed so that the center section of the wing is positioned higher than the outboard section, with the front end angled outwards (red arrows).
This small but necessary detail will help improve airflow and will be further enhanced by more internal space dividers, which are circled in the image.
Teams may use a total of eight spacers on each side of the front wing to help maintain the rigidity of the structure, with the shape and dimensions set out in the regulations.
However, teams will try to take advantage of this to maximize their airflow on each of the elements, as they are no longer allowed to place parts or winglets on the underside of the wing.
In this regard, it can be seen that Aston Martin designers have chosen to choose different angles when placing these spacers, with each offering a small but tangible benefit in airflow redirection.
The upper flaps are also adjustable, with the adjuster positioned just inside, near the nose, as seen in the box to the left of the image.
The upper part of the flaps also has a peculiar shape to get more load in the central part, while the aileron is very narrow in the endplate area, in addition, it is also crooked (blue arrows).
This results in what can be considered a bit of an exaggerated response, despite the fact that the regulations try to avoid it as much as possible.
The nose of the AMR22 is also interesting. The second element of the front wing is attached to it in a way that effectively extends its wingspan, recalling the way Red Bull placed the cameras at the front of the RB8.
This also allows the bottom of the nose to be below the line of the upper front wing. This is sure to provide some benefits as the airflow picks up under the car, especially as the front end is also very thin before it flares outwards to the chassis area.
The car is fitted with a push-rod suspension at the front, although it was missing from one of the two sides in the render the team showed on the day of the unveiling, which was due to a mistake.
As teams are no longer allowed to use winglets at the transition point between the chassis and the nose, the surfaces of the AMR22 are not entirely uniform, with the team trying to use some minor geometry differences to improve aerodynamic performance.
Bargeboards can no longer be used by teams to control airflow and turbulence between the front wheels, the ground, and the sidepods. However, they do have a few tools at their disposal to alter the course of the airflow.
In the case of the AMR22 , it appears the team is leaning on a splitter design we’ve seen in the past, with a snowplow-like surface mounted on the main flat-bottom element.
The most famous example of this is probably the Brawn GP BGP001, although the Williams FW32 and McLaren MP4-31 also sported similar solutions.
Meanwhile, one area where we’ll see a lot of different solutions between the teams is in the hot air outlet of the front brake duct.
The new rules mean that the heat created by the brakes can no longer be discharged through the face of the wheel and must have its own outlet at the rear of the brake duct.
Size, shape and position are obviously limited by regulations, but will vary from team to team as they look for the solution that best suits their cooling demands and, where possible, their aerodynamic requirements as well.
Aside from the more obvious introduction of an upper wake deflector over the front wheels, teams also have at their disposal an area to fit some winglets below the brake duct, reminiscent of an early ’90s solution, in fact, the designs will be very similar to those used on models like the Williams FW14.
The most striking feature of the AMR22 is, without a doubt, the pontoons, as they have changed a lot from the designs we have been used to seeing in recent seasons.
The inlets are square, similar to those of a fighter plane, while the body of the pontoon seems to be a tall fit solution, similar to the FOM models.
The higher waist design has also left considerable space under the air intake and around the bottom of the sidepod.
The change in regulations has also meant that teams can bank on the return of the famous gills on the top surface of the sidepod, as they did during the V10 era, as can be seen on the R25 below.
Not only does this allow the teams to vent the heat generated within the sidepods, but it also means that the bodywork at the rear of the car can be slimmed down considerably thanks to its extra cooling.
Generally speaking, this is also where you could see the biggest differences between all the teams, as they try to balance their aerodynamic demands with the cooling and internal design of the power units and their accessories.
In the case of the Aston Martin , its design has required a minor modification to the radiators and intercooler inside the sidepods.
The solution is similar to the E21 layout shown below, rather than the more vertical layout adopted by most in recent years and seen in Williams’ illustration.
The shape of the sidepods has also influenced the shape of the AMR22 ‘s floor, as the underbody inner section of the car has a medium rise before lowering and then rising back towards the diffuser.
Meanwhile, the outer edge of the floorboard has a very interesting profile as it passes from the front wing area to the rearmost section of the car.
The front end is slightly raised, with a flap rolled up to not only redirect airflow past the top surface of the “flat bottom,” but also to create a section that fits the rear tire more closely.
The narrow engine cover is only disturbed by the presence of blisters covering the intake planes of the power unit, a feature that was also present on its predecessor. This demonstrates the effort that is being made to fit the bodywork as closely as possible to the internal components.
Aston Martin has also been the first team to show us how teams will employ DRS this season, with the central activator pod and outer pivots positioned on the upper rear wing flap.
The rear wing has a spoon-shaped main plane, as required by regulations. However, it is a bit different from the one presented in the FOM mock-up.
The edge of the main plane slopes upwards, where it creates a peak in the central section, while a rather curved profile is present from there.
It can also be seen that Aston Martin continues to use a pull rod suspension design at the rear of the car, a design it will share with Mercedes , as both will mount the same power unit and gearbox.
At the rear, you can see that the team has opted for a dual-element wing arrangement, which returns after being dropped at the end of 2013.
As part of the double wing design, Aston Martin have chosen to cover the bottom of the exhaust outlet with a top element, which will likely help them redirect the exhaust plume.
Meanwhile, the team has also mounted a vertical slot in the endplate (blue arrow) just ahead of the LED lights on the back edge of the endplate.
Interestingly, there is also a crescent-shaped opening in the side wall of the diffuser (red arrows).
However, this could just be a visual trick that creates the illusion of an opening, so we’ll have to wait and see if this still shows up when the car hits the track.
