Two iconic British car brands have revealed their latest F1 entries as we pass the halfway point of car launch season.
Yesterday, Aston Martin unveiled the AMR23, the car that they hope Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll can guide to the top of the midfield. In terms of the paint scheme, Aston appear to be striving for a Ferrari-style consistency – that is, it looks very similar to last year.
The team have made a slight adjustment to their British Racing green base colour. Aston have also extended the shade’s use, as it reaches all the way to the back of the body. However, black features more prominently on the front and rear wings.
So, instead of focusing on paintwork, Aston Martin have let the technical adjustments wow F1 fans.
Firstly, Aston say they have revised their front-wing design to make it more “aggressive”.
Bigger changes are then more obvious when you look at the sidepods and engine cover. The British racing team have taken inspiration from 2022’s leading teams in this department. For instance, the sidepods boast a deep “undercut” beneath a narrow radiator inlet – reminiscent of last year’s Red Bull.
Also changing on the sidepods is the design on the top. The upper section of the sidepods has the “scooped out” style that Ferrari championed on last season’s F1-75. Both of these modifications should help channel airflow to the rear of the car better, where further shape changes are present.
Finally, Aston have remodelled the floor in line with the new FIA regulations for 2023.
The technical overhaul will hopefully allow Aston Martin to be at least frequently challenging for points. If successful, they should be racing the other team that had an F1 car launch on Monday.
McLaren launch 2023 F1 car
The eight-time constructors’ champions launched the MCL60 a few hours before Aston Martin on Monday evening. McLaren say the car is an “evolution” from last year’s racer – with the paint scheme following a similar trend.
The Woking-based outfit have maintained their “Papaya” signature colour – a nod to their original colours. But McLaren have integrated more black into the livery. There is a lot of exposed carbon present on the design.
The MCL60 also benefits from flashes of sky blue throughout the paint scheme. In addition, there are a host of extra sponsors across the car. Web browser Google Chrome enjoys a prime spot, sitting on the engine cover.
Like numerous teams on the F1 grid, the launch of McLaren’s 2023 car has exposed their new sidepod design. And, like numerous teams, they have also gone for a Red Bull-inspired solution. McLaren have a long undercut in the sidepod beneath the inlet, possible thanks to a reworked, reduced-size cooling package.
The top of the sidepod also has a dramatic swoop down to meet the tail end of the undercut at the back of the car. Meanwhile, McLaren’s shelf-style engine cover design carries over from last season, as do the cooling gills.
Both McLaren and Aston Martin’s 2023 challengers will get their first official running at F1’s pre-season test later this month.
Featured image credit: McLaren