Tech F1i: Red Bull introduces new floor for RB21 in Miami

F1 teams typically shy away from introducing significant updates at the Miami Grand Prix, but Red Bull and to a lesser degree Mercedes have contradicted the norm for this weekend.

In a bid to improve the downforce and balance of its RB21, Red Bull have implemented a new floor on its temperamental beast that will hopefully allow Max Verstappen to give the McLarens a run for their money in Florida.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit has tweaked two specific of the RB21’s floor element.

The floor fences have been repositioned in a bid to slightly boost aerodynamic load without compromising flow stability – a re-optimisation aimed at extracting more performance from the same airflow conditions.

In addition, the floor now features surfaces with increased local camber. This tweak is designed to enhance the edge wing's effectiveness by generating more load through the added curvature.

An 'Incremental Step in the Right Direction

Red Bull chief engineer Paul Monaghan described the modifications as an “incremental” step in the right direction, representing one of the keys to solving the Rb21’s current weakness.

“If you think of all the complaints we had out of Bahrain, we’ve addressed some. Have we done it wholly? Probably not? We will continue? Yes,” he explained.

“It won’t be a sort of turn key solution to unlock. It will be more incremental improvements on the car. We understand what’s happened but actually affecting a cure, it’s not that straightforward.

“It may never disappear from the car. Can we reduce the magnitude and improve the lap time? Yes. There’s a lot of incredible people at Milton Keynes working hard to improve and it will come.”

While McLaren and Ferrari have kept their cars unchanged among the front-runners, Mercedes have introduced a single update to their rear wing for the Miami weekend. Specifically, the team has altered the camber of a flap – a circuit-specific change aimed at reducing both local downforce and drag to better suit the track’s efficiency demands.

Aston Martin arrived with a trio of updates: modifications to the rear wing, beam wing, and front wing, all targeting improved aerodynamic balance and performance.

Alpine has brought changes to the front suspension and front corner of the car, suggesting a focus on improving front-end grip and handling precision.

Williams have made a subtle adjustment to their beam wing, while Sauber has rolled out a front suspension update.

Meanwhile, Racing Bulls and Haas remain unchanged since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, opting for continuity with their current packages.

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