Alpine will present a new F1 rear wing at the Spanish Grand Prix

The French manufacturer has demonstrated some encouraging pace throughout the start of the 2022 F1 campaign, but a number of reliability issues and failures have damaged its ability to score.

However, the team is confident that it has a package capable of regularly fighting in front of the midfield.

With a large number of teams bringing planned events to Spain, alpine team leader Otmar Schaffnauer has revealed that the most significant update for his A522 will be at the rear of the car.

“We have a new back wing in Spain,” he said.

“It has to be more efficient than last time we ran there, and it has to be a little more productive, so we’ll have that for both cars.”

This season, Alpine has been innovative with its rear wing concept, returning to Miami to the design it first used at the Saudi Grand Prix.

Its new design solution may attract the attention of some of its competitors, given that it is changing a design trend that has been used for years.

The wing has a section of the body that has been patched in the upper rear corner of the end strip (red arrow).

Typically, teams use an expression here to break the vortex that is formed when the pressure gradients collide at the junction of the end plate and the flap.

But the common opinion can be left aside when considering the role that the new end plate joint design plays in the designer’s choice, given that the vortex will be changed by him.

It is also necessary to consider how this also affects the DRS as it unfolds, with the split in the sash now farther than designers are used to.

In addition to direct aerodynamic improvements, Alpine is also working hard to reduce weight – most teams will be fighting on this front in 2022.

Alpine sports director Alan Perman said the team has made good progress on this front with the changes introduced in Imola, but on this front it is not over yet.

“We took a little, but there is still a lot to do,” he said.

“We have good steps in this area. We’re still a little on the high side of weight wise.

“I don’t think it’s as bad as some others, but we’re certainly not as good as some others. I’ve heard that some cars are under or completely on the weight limit.

“We’re a little over, but we’ve been steadily improving since the first race and will continue to do so.”