Singapore Grand Prix upgrades revealed as Ferrari’s rumoured update stays at home

Ferrari have arrived in Singapore with zero upgrades despite a report saying the team was preparing a substantial package.

After a three-week break, Formula 1 returns this weekend with the Singapore Grand Prix and, as FIA rules state for this season, the teams have revealed what upgrades they have brought to their cars for the night race.

McLaren have introduced the most upgrades with changes to the sidepod, floor, diffuser and front brake ducts. However, Daniel Ricciardo revealed during Thursday’s media obligations that it was only Lando Norris’ car that would be fitted with the updates.

The Australian, who has six races left on his McLaren contract before he is replaced by his compatriot Oscar Piastri, said it was due to limited parts and upgrades made in a view towards 2023 as to why he was missing out.

There are four teams who have brought no upgrades this weekend and the most interesting is Ferrari. A report during the week stated that the team had been spurred on by their performance at Monza and was preparing a significant upgrade package in the feint hope of keeping their Championship bid alive.

That has proved to be incorrect with the team running the same car as the one that featured in front of their home fans last time out. Mercedes, Alfa Romeo, and Haas have also brought zero upgrades.

Championship leaders Red Bull have brought an upgrade to their floor fences, which is aimed at the aerodynamic stability of the floor fences in order to ‘gain and maintain aerodynamically generated loads’.

However, there will be off-track concerns for Red Bull this weekend as a report has emerged that teams within the paddock believe the Milton Keynes-based outfit “significantly exceeded the budget cap in 2021” and are demanding penalties in a story that is sure to rumble on throughout the weekend.

Ahead of the FIA’s first cost cap review next week, it has been reported that two teams, Red Bull and Aston Martin, exceeded the limit and could be hit with punishments from a fine to Championship points deduction.

Red Bull are said to have exceeded the limit by $5 million, which Mercedes and Ferrari claim is equivalent to half a second on the racetrack.

Red Bull’s rivals are reportedly seeking a fine that would limit their ability to develop next year’s car.

In their race to secure P4 in the battle with McLaren, Alpine have made changes to the floor body/edge of their A522. Both cars will get the upgrade, which is aimed at ‘improving vortex management under the floor and floor edge’.

However, McLaren have shown up with a major update for their MCL36. The car’s sidepod inlets, the floor body and fences, the diffuser, and cooling louvres have all been revised in order to increase the aerodynamic load while reducing drag, while the team have also brought a circuit-specific tweak with a new front brake duct with a larger air inlet.

Aston Martin have also altered their floor edges, with a notch added towards the rear of the car. This will make ‘local improvements to the flow management’ of the airflow.

AlphaTauri have upgraded their front wing, with the inboard part of the wing aimed at improving the aerodynamic load generated, as well as improving the airflow to the front of the floor. The outboard part of the wing is aimed at controlling the air wake over the front wheel.

Williams have made changes to their rear brake winglets – the geometry is identical, but with changes to the material in a bid to improve durability.

As it stands, Ferrari trail Red Bull by 139 points in the Constructors’ Championship and 116 points in the Drivers’ Championship.

Read more: ‘Red Bull significantly exceeded the cap in 2021, rivals demand severe penalties’