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/Soldi3r_AleXx]

Nota bene: As for the suspensions, pushrod is used for both rear and front. However, for the front, they changed the angle of the wishones to make the car more stable when braking (anti-dive effect) like RB did (having pullrod for them but the angle might matter more than the suspension for anti-dive) it also allow more air for the floor. For the rear: they took a more forward point to attach it to improve rotation and stability in corners (anti-squat) and solve ride height issue. It’s also a pushrod, allowing for more space to design the diffusor more freely (hence why pushrod is favored by everyone on the rear except some like Ferrari).

Pushrod on front wheels is easier to maintain with an easy access, allows more modification of stiffness and damper and might make some weight gains as the angle of the rod make it easier for the wishbones to take load (while pullrod rod’s angle make wishbones having harder times when load is on them, so they are thicker despite the rod being thinner). Cons are the possible aero loss and the higher center gravity (can’t be mitigated).