Among the teams that have brought important novelties to the 2022 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Alpine must be included without a doubt. Before landing in Baku, his head in the paddock, Otmar Szafnauer , acknowledged that they would introduce at least two aerodynamic improvements, and those from Enstone have complied.
In their attempt to move up from sixth in the constructors’ championship, having only scored 40 points, the French have given the aerodynamics a facelift, all to overtake McLaren and Alfa Romeo, as the top three , Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes still seem light years away.
It should not be surprising, therefore, that Alpine has traveled to the country on the shores of the Caspian Sea with a package of novelties that will try to increase its performance. The most striking change is the part of the radiator on the pontoon , which now has a square air intake with a surface that is half of what we were used to, seeking better aerodynamic efficiency with a carbon extension up to the limit allowed by the FIA regulations, following the concept of Red Bull and AlphaTauri.
Detail of the pontoons of the Alpine A522 in Baku
Alpine’s A522 changes its appearance considerably, and that is that the one that has been presented in Baku with a new aerodynamic configuration lacks the blue and pink paint that is used to showing off in the car designed by Pat Fry . In addition, like many other cars, the French are fighting a battle to reach the minimum weight indicated by the regulations of 798 kilograms.
Detail of the unloaded rear wing in Baku of the Alpine A522
Those of Enstone introduced a very unloaded rear wing , with an almost flat profile and a shorter mobile flap, although with a small nolder at the exit, which is perfectly straight without the usual central V.
