AlphaTauri details extensive floor changes on AT04 for Abu Dhabi

AlphaTauri is hoping that the revised floor introduced on its AT04 this weekend in Abu Dhabi will deliver both long-term and short-term gains.

The primary goal of the Faenza-base squad's significant update is to gather valuable data for the development of its 2024 car.

But the team is also hopeful that the upgrade will boost its performance at Yas Marina and help it battle and hopefully overtake Williams for a high-stakes seventh place in the Constructors' standings.

The Grove-based outfit still holds a 7-point lead over its rival, and holding on to P7 is reportedly worth an estimated $9 million in prize money!

So, Williams’ loss would therefore become AlphaTauri’s big gain.

• Read also: AlphaTauri set for 2024 identity change and new sponsors

It’s car’s new floor features a host of modifications, including a revised floor body, keel vane, mid floor and canoe surfaces, floor fences, and floor edge wing.

These changes are aimed at generating more downforce and improving aerodynamic efficiency.

The FIA's technical document released on Friday morning outlined – element by element - the specific modifications AlphaTauri has made to the floor:

Floor Body: The main floor body has been reworked to enhance local load generation in the forward section of the floor.

Keel Vane: A new vane has been incorporated into the keel area above the t-tray to generate additional localized load.

Mid Floor and 'Canoe' Surfaces: The mid floor and 'canoe' surfaces near the plank have undergone extensive modifications to facilitate greater local load generation in that region of the floor.

Floor Fences: The spanwise position and spacing of the fences have been significantly altered from the previous floor to optimize their relative loading. Additionally, the area behind the outermost fence on the upper surface has been modified to improve airflow quality onto the floor edge wing.

Floor Edge Wing: The forward portion of the floor edge wing has been reduced in camber to enhance flow quality towards the rear, while the aft section has been enlarged in chord to augment local load generation.

Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda concluded FP2 on Friday respectively P12 and P15, with driver well ahead Williams chargers Alex Albon and Logan Sargeant who clocked in P16 and P17 in the session.

Qualifying on Saturday evening should deliver a more definitive verdict on AlphaTauri’s performance level relative to Williams and on whether the team can close out its 2023 season on a strong note… one potentially worth $9,000!

In addition to AlphaTauri, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo have also rolled out slightly modified cars in Abu Dhabi.

Aston Martin has brought a new rear wing which features modifications to the upper wing, beam wing and the endplate.

Over at Alfa Romeo, the Swiss outfit’s C43 features a new front wing with a redesigned main plane and re-profiled flaps. The new wing is meant to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the whole car, a main weakness this year for the Hinwil squad.

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