The Italians’ car is characterized by a relatively long sidewall that slopes down to the bottom of the dream and, to paraphrase their motto, is “in the style of a new era”.
The AT03, designed by Jody Eggington , is clear proof that it is possible to push ideas to the limit, taking up the line followed by its brothers from Milton Keynes in previous seasons.
For starters, it bears no resemblance to Giorgio Ascanelli’s Toro Rosso STR06 , which already had the “double bottom” setup way back in 2011, though the large, square intake under the radiator suggests it.
The aerodynamicists at Faenza have created an air passage between the Venturi channels and the ground that begins just below the waist of the chassis, at the height of the halo, and then descends to the end of the rear diffuser. There is no continuous flow of air as in the AMR22 , however this is used to create an out wash effect.
AlphaTauri AT03: taking advantage of the heat of the radiators
The hot air outlet produced by the radiators on the sides has been taken, not by chance, to the lower part, where there is a clear attempt to reproduce, although in a very limited way, what was the effect created by the exhausts blown by one side, taking advantage of the Coanda effect to send a larger flow from the top of the bottom to the diffuser. On the other hand, there is also an attempt to send the flow to the extractor.
AlphaTauri AT03: separate flow
AlphaTauri AT03: Aerodynamic Flow Trend
It is interesting to observe, therefore, how the heat produced in the belly flows towards the diffuser, while that generated by the radiators located above the engine escapes through the rear part of the cover, which extends over the upper part of the rear suspension. . Also, in this case, the air should influence the wing pillar, and improve the extraction of the large rear diffuser.
In short, it is a precise aerodynamic study, which takes advantage of hot air to improve performance. Not to take into account the influence of Adrian Newey on Faenza, but it seems that the AT03 has taken some references from the genius of Red Bull, since they have developed the car in the Milton Keynes wind tunnel.
AlphaTauri AT03: suspension change
The car must be practically at the limit of the wheelbase (3,600 mm), in addition, it has the Honda RA622H power unit near the cockpit. It also features a longer, narrower Red Bull gearbox and pull-rod rear suspension, just like on the RB18.
AlphaTauri AT03: suspension without risk
The published images show a more conservative rear suspension scheme, the opposite of what McLaren has done. Faenza’s car maintains the triangles without looking for multi-link links.
AlphaTauri AT03: airbox with two outlets
The airbox has the well-known rounded shape, with two outlets, while at the top it has a fairly long, but not tall, vertical vortex. A hot air outlet opens along the beltline, as if the Japanese engine needed more cooling due to the switch to E10 petrol so as not to compromise reliability.
AlphaTauri AT03: a long nose
AlphaTauri AT03: the nose is longer
The group led by Eggington is the first to show us a longer and more flattened nose on the main profile. The feeling is that in Faenza they have not revealed all their cards, and that we will only know the real front wing in Barcelona, given that this solution is the most in line with the already famous showcar presented by the FIA and the FOM.
AlphaTauri AT03: push-rod front suspension
AlphaTauri AT03: the front suspension is push-rod
The push-rod front suspension reveals a high-mounted steering arm, slightly offset from the upper triangle to find that most useful airflow. The brake intake is more striking, and somewhat flatter than that of the McLaren, although, like the Red Bull, it uses Alcon calipers.
AlphaTauri AT03: the wing support is double pillar
Returning to the rear, the double pillar to support the rear wing does not go unnoticed. With the DRS actuator in the center, it has a spoon-shaped profile, while the moving flap reveals a nolder on the trailing edge that is straight.
The design of the spoiler and the diffuser, for the moment, has only been shown in a render, so we will have to wait for the pre-season tests in Barcelona to get a better idea of what the AlphaTauri single-seater will be.
