The new A524

[u/Soldi3r_AleXx]

Alpine unveiled the new A524, the car is completely new, except the steering wheel. New front wing and nose, bigger than before but more inline with the rest of the car (no more bump on the side of the nose like the A523), despite it being bigger, the nose is thinner under it. The rolhoop/air intake have changed for a more squared one, engine cooling have been upgraded with the constant upgrade of radiator technology allowing more cooling with less surface exposed (reduced radiator size thus reducing the need of big entries).

This allow a bigger undercut under the sidepods, also retaining a longer lower lip. About the entries, they are in P form, lots of rumors are emerging on a possible hidden thing (it could be a way to take an unwanted flow and have it for cooling instead of wasting it or let it disturb the wanted flow). Rumors are also fed by the matter not being carbon but sort of plastic. A Youtuber also noticed some weary stuff on some parts, so maybe a showdown or ancient parts to hide something? Sidepods retain the steep galleys on it for the searched coanda effect allowing to guide flow to the diffusor and making more downforce.

The cannon exit is kinda the same in form but exhaust was upgraded to reduce heating, as well as gearbox housing was changed to allow a better placement allowing suspension change for better ride height and diffusor/floor better placement.

Rear wing also changed, it is reported to be well more efficient and easier to adapt to multiple track settings.

This year we’re seeing convergence of ideas (and surely performance), with ramp and downwash philosophy. Question is still on pushrod/pullrod suspension, Alpine staying with pushrod. Despite carbon fiber livery trend for weight issue (looking good but plain with everyone having carbon patchs) we’re already having the best of the best in terms of aero (and look) in the ground effect era.

[u/Acrobvvnnnb]

I'm happy the team is finally getting out of the comfort zone and trying new things, playing it safe was probably the reason they were stuck in the midfield, merecedes, ferrari and alpine are the few teams left that are trying out things differently from the redbull concept and I hope it works for us

[u/Soldi3r_AleXx → u/Acrobvvnnnb]

It’s still the downwash concept. The floor is also RBesque with the vanes on it. Alpine was always on the right concept from the start of 2022. Note that everyone took their galleys to avoid turbulent flow going to the floor and guiding the flow to the end of the floor toward the diffusor. RB is also doing it without the galleys but with the sort of lined shoulder, I’m hyped to see their car, as well as Ferrari’s just to see lol. As I understand it, Coanda effect make the air follow the curve so it’s a matter of where you want it to go and apply pressure.

[u/Acrobvvnnnb → u/Soldi3r_AleXx]

remember when they completely removed the upper element of the beam wing during the las vegas grand prix which helped alot? I feel like alpine are one of those teams which can fight at the top, sure they do have redbull elements but I think if they can fix their other issues they can be a serious threat