A look at the Honda power unit before it’s installed in the Red Bull Racing RB16B. Here we can see the turbo compressor behind the snorkel that delivers air, while the large carbon pipe to the right feeds air to the inlet plenum buried beneath, which is been cooled by the intercooler housed within the left-hand sidepod.

Red Bull Racing RB16B airbox detail

Photographer:Giorgio Piola

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Teams: Red Bull Racing

The Honda power unit from another angle as it’s readied behind the AlphaTauri chassis – here we get a clearer view of the plenum (emblazoned with the Honda branding), while the boost pipework can also be seen more clearly, including the pipe from the compressor which delivers the boost to the intercooler.

AlphaTauri AT02 engine detail

Photographer:Giorgio Piola

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Teams: AlphaTauri

For comparative purposes here’s a Mercedes power unit waiting to be installed in the Williams FW43B. Note the size and shape of the right-hand back of the inlet plenum which is the reason why Mercedes and Aston Martin have bulges on their engine covers, as the bodywork shrink wraps around it.

Williams FW43B engine detail

Photographer:Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Teams: Williams

As we see the FW43B’s chassis is prepared we can also see that the titanium gearbox casing is set aside waiting to be installed. Williams will purchase the gearbox casing and internals from Mercedes next season rather than build them in-house.

Williams FW43B garage

Photographer:Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Track:Jeddah Street Circuit

Teams: Williams

A patched-up medium downforce spoon-shaped rear wing is installed on the Red Bull RB16B as the team prepares the car for action – note the absence of a Gurney on the trailing edge of the top flap.

Red Bull Racing RB16B rear wing detail

Photographer:Giorgio Piola

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Teams: Red Bull Racing

AlphaTauri with the medium downforce rear wing installed on the car too, also without a Gurney flap.

AlphaTauri AT02 rear wing detail

Photographer:Giorgio Piola

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Teams: AlphaTauri

McLaren appears to be moving to a lower-downforce option, or at least evaluating it, as it has installed a spoon-shaped rear wing on the MCL35M.

McLaren MCL35M rear wing detail

Photographer:Giorgio Piola

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Teams: McLaren

Mercedes took Lewis Hamilton’s W12 to scrutineering with the single central pillar, medium downforce rear wing configuration installed.

Mercedes W12 rear wing detail

Photographer:Giorgio Piola

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

The view from beneath the nose and front wing of the Alfa Romeo C41.

Alfa Romeo C41 front wing detail

Photographer:Giorgio Piola

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Teams: Alfa Romeo

A shot of the rear end of the Red Bull RB16B as it is readied for scrutineering. The team appears to have mounted the same-specification medium downforce spoon-shaped rear wing that’s been giving it issues of late.

Red Bull Racing RB16B diffuser detail

Photographer:Giorgio Piola

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Teams: Red Bull Racing

A different angle gives us a better view of the sinuous louvred section of the endplate and the various contours used in the surface above to enable the serrated cutout to perform as it wishes.

Red Bull Racing RB16B diffuser detail

Photographer:Giorgio Piola

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Teams: Red Bull Racing

A rare glimpse of a wheel rim before the tyres are mounted, this one being from the Red Bull pool. Note the ribbed surface which helps with temperature management as heat is thermally transferred from the brakes through the wheel rim and can have an impact on the bulk temperature of the tyres.

Red Bull Racing RB16B rim detail

Photographer:Giorgio Piola

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Teams: Red Bull Racing

Red Bull’s rear end before it is mounted on the car, with the brake duct, suspension and gearbox casing all on display. Note the gold surface coating on the exhaust surround which is then covered with a carbonfibre shroud.

Red Bull Racing RB16B gearbox detail

Photographer:Giorgio Piola

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Technical analysis

Teams: Red Bull Racing

Sidepod bodywork, a race seat and a selection of nose and front wings outside the Alfa Romeo garage as the car is prepared for action.
Nosecones outside the garage of Kimi Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo Racing

Photographer:Mark Sutton / Motorsport Images

Date taken:Dec 1, 2021

Series:Formula 1

Event:Saudi Arabia GP

Sub-event:Thursday

Track:Jeddah Street Circuit

Drivers: Kimi Raikkonen

Teams: Alfa Romeo