Technical notes from the Paul Ricard circuit

Honda’s biggest aero tweak for the current French F1 test session is this pair of developed elephant ears - or rabbit ears, if you prefer - on the car’s nose cone. The struggling team has fixed endplates to the ears, in a bid to improve downforce ahead of this month’s Monaco GP - the famous Monte Carlo street circuit is a high-downforce track, y’see.

Williams, meanwhile, has copied - or “taken inspiration from”, if Williams’ lawyers are watching - the “shark-fin” engine cover used to decent effect by Renault (who cribbed it from Red Bull anyway) this season. Nico Rosberg (pictured below) tried out the new fin earlier today. Williams has also taken a shine to Renault’s front-wing design.

[F1 Technical]