A small, but interesting modification for Japan is these small cooling vents placed in the area close to the exhaust pipes on the Honda. These provide better extraction of hot air from the sidepods, caused by the high pressure of the exhaust gases. Furthermore they actually increase the speed of ...
For Japan these have grown in size, with an increased cross section and a more curved side profile. This raises the amount of downforce produced with the tradeoff of some added drag. Their effectiveness has been shown in the ability of the Toyota to get the most out of its front tyres on the highly...
For Japan, a tiny vertical turning vane (yellow arrow) has been added parallel to the side of the splitter's foremost section. Both elements connect to the front barge boards and help improve the quality of airflow directed to the bottom of the car. This generates additional downforce and helps...
An interesting development in Japan is the elongation of the vertical fences connecting the rear flip-ups. These elements are now clearly longer than their original version, reaching the level of the winglets just behind the venting chimneys. More a refinement than a major change to the aero set-up,...
One of the most heavily developed areas of the car, the barge boards have shown numerous changes over the season. The last one in Japan is small but significant and relates to a visible increase in the height (blue arrow) of the 'upper step' of the main shield in front of the boards. Varying the...
The Super Aguri features a small but interesting change for its home race. The front wing now sports a horizontal profile at middle height on the endplate, located in a more rearward position than those on other cars. This element is sure to help in terms of turbulence and airflow management in...
You might expect Suzuka to be a tricky circuit for Renault, after the banning of their mass damper device. Its very fast direction changes require a perfectly balanced car, and quickly expose handling deficiencies. The good news for Renault is that, as in Shanghai, the R26's aerodynamic balance is...
If Ferrari do have a minor power advantage over Renault, it shouldn't be too much of an issue for the champions at Suzuka, where torque and flexibility are more important than output. The power range of Renault's RS26 V8 should be increased to provide a smoother throttle response. This will not only...
As in China, in Japan Ferrari's engine and suspension will be among their car's main strengths, both playing a vital role in the overall balance of the chassis - something arguably even more important at Suzuka than in Shanghai. The engine obviously needs to be powerful, but also flexible and...
Tyres will again play a key role in Japan, but in a different way to in Shanghai. The Suzuka tarmac is far more abrasive, hence tyre wear is a far bigger issue. That means suspension set-up - in combination with aerodynamics - is crucial not only in determining the amount of grip available from the...
