According to technical director Jody Egginton, the team is expecting the new upgrades to deliver a “clear step forward” in terms of performance.
Speaking to the Motorsport Network, he said:
Getting the new upgrade to work as intended is a crucial step in the developmental process, according to Egginton. With the floors of the new generation of cars contributing to nearly 50 percent of the total downforce, any flaws could send them backward in terms of performance.
Unlike in previous seasons, teams have limited allowance for aerodynamic testing, meaning they have to ensure that each run in the wind tunnel doesn’t go to waste.
However, it also means there’s higher risk of new developments not working, as teams try to be as efficient as possible and only perform limited testing.
Explaining the tricky process, Egginton said:
AlphaTauri focussed on on-track learning before bringing prototyping upgrades
To reduce the risk of going in the wrong developmental direction, resulting in a loss of performance, AlphaTauri are reportedly following a similar strategy to that of Ferrari.
Rather than making rapid changes to the car based on aero modeling, AlphaTauri are intent on learning about the original spec to understand what parts need improving.
According to Egginton, this saves the team from facing “nasty surprises” when new upgrades are introduced. Speaking to the Motorsport Network, he said:
AlphaTauri have shown some promising pace so far this season but seem to be one of the worst affected by porpoising. They currently sit in P8 in the constructor’s championship but could bounce back in the second half of the season to threaten midfield regulars.
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