Russia tech roundup - slotted T-wings, upgraded barge boards & more

Most teams will be introducing their first major technical update packages of the season at the next round in Spain. However, that doesn't mean there weren't some interesting changes to be spotted in Sochi last weekend...

McLaren MCL32 - rear wing strakes

For Sochi McLaren retained this rear wing endplate solution introduced in Bahrain. As you can see from the arrows, it is now incredibly complex, with the intricate layout of vertical strakes designed to improve the airflow in this area of the car and reduce the drag from the rear tyres.

Force India VJM0 - barge board slots

For Russia Force India modified the VJM10’s barge boards with a series of vertical slots (nine instead of the four seen previously). This year’s cars are a lot more sophisticated in this area than their predecessors, thanks to the 2017 regulations allowing far more freedom - the result being more powerful barge board designs.

Williams FW40 - slotted T-wing

Williams debuted a new T-wing design in Russia. Instead of having two separate elements as before (inset, red arrows), it now has a single element on top of the engine cover’s shark fin. That element now has a slot in, meaning the T-wing now effectively has a main profile combined with a flap.

Sauber C36 - barge board teeth

Sauber introduced these intricate little teeth to the lower section of the C36’s barge board in Russia, a solution not unlike that seen on the Mercedes since last year.