Half of the grille used Z-shaped floor cutouts while the other half preferred the fully tapered option.
As is so often the case in Grand Prix racing, however, a solution often becomes the preferred option – and two more teams have joined the Z-shaped gang for this weekend in Imola.
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Soil changes
As with any rule change, there is an option to either follow the classic interpretation of the rules or find ways to improve performance.
For 2021, this battle will be fought at the edge of the ground, where the FIA intended to have a simple, tapered edge in front of the rear tire. In combination with a number of other changes, the downforce should be reduced by around 10 percent.
However, the teams got none of this and set out to find ways to make up for their losses. The soil was seen as a big piece of that puzzle.
Four teams opted for the Z-shaped floor cutout solution during pre-season testing, and Alpine joined their ranks in the first race as we demonstrated here.
But already in the second race of the season we have two more teams that break the rank. The solution can now also be seen for the Ferrari and Williams cars.
Ferrari tested the new floor solution on Carlos Sainz ‘car during the first RP, while Charles Leclerc continued to collect data for the team with the old specification (inset). This back-to-back analysis is incredibly important as the team wants to find out if the new parts are performing as well as the simulation tools apparently suggested.
Aside from the obvious Z-shaped floor cutout, there are also changes to the aero devices on the top that move the airflow across the floor surface. The trio of fins mounted halfway up the floor has been removed (red arrow, inset), while a new fin creates an aerodynamic pivot point where the cutout begins (blue arrow).
The situation is similar with Williams, as the Z-shaped floor arrangement is also present in the second race of the season.
Like the other teams using this solution, three fins have also been added next to the front section of the cutout to enhance the effect it creates.
However, it has also retained the trio of fins it added in the middle of its floor during the first race in Bahrain.
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Make it personal
Even if seven teams have now decided that the Z-shaped cutout is a design concept worth pursuing, there are of course different levels of solutions. So let’s look at each and every one of them and the fully rejuvenated alternatives …
Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes W12
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Mercedes tried its best to keep the rivals off the smell when it unveiled the W12, going as far as obscuring that area of the car. Once they were in the spotlight, however, it was clear that they had given up some of the available floor space in favor of the Z-shaped cutout.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB16B
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Red Bull also opted for the Z-shaped neckline, but its interpretation removes even more ground to return to a more parallel edge. Also note the row of louvers next to the side pods to encourage discarded airflow, then use them to maximize the performance of the floor.
Sebastian Vettel, Aston Martin AMR21
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Aston Martin is already in its second Z-shaped floor variant after expanding the cutout and the parallel section as part of his revision in Bahrain. It’s currently the most aggressive variant on the grid and has also been paired with two rows of fins around the front neckline to check for problems that seem to hurt the low-raked runners the most.
Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri AT02
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
AlphaTauri made no attempt to disguise its Z-shaped neckline when it started its car, even when it tried to disguise other aspects. There’s also an update for the second round of the championship, as a group of outwardly angled fins has been added to the section in front of the cutout to make the ground even harder.
Esteban Ocon, Alpine A521
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Alpine joined the Z-shaped ground brigade in Bahrain and combined the cutout with just a single fin, but tested different variations while also testing a variety of strake solutions in front of the rear tire.
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
The Z-shaped bottom cutout solution was tested during the first RP on the Sainz Ferrari SF21.
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
George Russell gets a taste of the new Z-shaped bottom cutout of his Williams FW43B during the first RP
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL35M
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
McLaren was the first team to test a spec floor for 2021 during last year’s campaign, and at that point has stood firm in using the fully tapered solution.
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
Alfa Romeo also has the fully tapered floor solution, although it has lined up a selection of ribs near the point where the floor begins to taper to create a composite effect.
Photo by: Charles Coates / Motorsport Images
As we know, Haas has suggested focusing on 2022 and while the VF21 has been evolving, the floor has not been trimmed in the way some of its competitors have.
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