AlphaTauri ‘adapting’ 2019 Red Bull into AT01 design
AlphaTauri’s technical director Jody Egginton says adapting the tighter packaging of the 2019 Red Bull rear design has been the team’s main area of focus with its 2020 Formula 1 car.
Having undergone a rebranding for this season, the team formerly known as Toro Rosso has completed a shakedown and filming day with its AT01 at Misano in preparation for pre-season testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya next week.
AlphaTauri’s technical director Jody Egginton says adapting the tighter packaging of the 2019 Red Bull rear design has been the team’s main area of focus with its 2020 Formula 1 car.
Having undergone a rebranding for this season, the team formerly known as Toro Rosso has completed a shakedown and filming day with its AT01 at Misano in preparation for pre-season testing at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya next week.
AlphaTauri is continuing to closely work with both power unit suppliers Honda and Red Bull Technologies in designing its 2020 F1 car which incorporates a new gearbox and tighter packaging around the engine inspired by last year’s Red Bull RB15.
“We’ve had to adapt the 2019 Red Bull rear end into our chassis package but that’s part of the game each year, whether it’s a new part or something you’re inheriting from another team,” Egginton explained. “It’s a small detail but the gearbox has actually had to be re-homologated because of changes made on PU packaging, but to all intents and purposes it’s the same.
“The inboard front suspension and uprights are also from last year’s Red Bull, while the suspension members and associated brackets are AlphaTauri Designed & Manufactured. The hydraulics and other parts related to that also come from Red Bull.
“One small change to the regulations for 2020 concerns brake ducts: the brake ducts front and rear are now classified as listed parts, so these are AlphaTauri-designed and manufactured parts for 2020.”
ONBOARD OF OUR FIRST LAP.
— PIERRE GASLY (@PierreGASLY) February 16, 2020
Felt amazing to be back in the cockpit.
I missed it!!
: @AlphaTauriF1 pic.twitter.com/v2xXKb5NcI
Despite heavily relying on sister squad Red Bull, Egginton still sees the AT01 as “a strong evolution” from the team’s own 2019 car the STR14. The upgrades follow a similar path to what has been presented by rival F1 teams this week, with tighter rear-end packaging allowing for greater aerodynamic development during the season.
“AT01, our first AlphaTauri car, can best be described as a strong evolution of what we put in place for STR14, the 2019 car. That’s because the changes to the technical regulations for 2020 are fairly minimal,” he said. “So there’s nothing fundamental which has required a massive re-think.
“The focus has gone on pushing forward all the main priorities in terms of packaging the PU, packaging suspension, the systems and integrating all of that together to take the car to the next level and to give us maximum aero freedom.
“The reason behind that is to give the aero guys more freedom to develop, without us having to make costly, in-season, non-performance-enhancing updates.”
Egginton was promoted to the role of technical director at the Italian team early last year when James Key departed for McLaren.
Sum up your reaction to our brand-new livery
— Scuderia AlphaTauri (@AlphaTauriF1) February 16, 2020
We'll start: pic.twitter.com/amLNc31Qsv
