Harman: We intend to achieve our goals

Alpine F1 Technical Director Matt Harman is responsible for the development of the chassis, its integration with the powertrain and ultimately the performance of the car as a whole.

He has been with the Enstone team since September 2018, first as Deputy Chief Designer and then as Chief Engineer. And before that, he worked with Mercedes for more than ten years – both with the engine building division and with the Formula 1 team, where he was specifically involved in the integration of the power plant and the chassis.

Question: What are the main differences between last year’s car and the A524??
Matt Harman: There are many differences, the A524 is a completely new chassis, from front to back. We methodically analyzed the aerodynamic concept we wanted to implement in the new car to gain more freedom in terms of modernization and better realize its potential.

We found that last year’s A523 only performed well under a very limited range of conditions. This was the weak point because it meant that our ability to operate the machine was limited. That’s why in the case of the A524 we tried to extend this range as much as possible so that the machine’s potential could be used more effectively.

We completely revised the chassis design, developed a new rear suspension, optimized the front suspension and also incorporated a new heat dissipation system, which makes it possible to drive the car efficiently on any track and in any conditions.

In addition, a lot of effort has been made to improve the operation of the braking system – first of all, we are talking about controlling the temperature conditions, since this also affects the speed.

Of course, in this generation of cars, it largely depends on the efficiency of the bottom end, and in this area we have taken an aggressive approach and tried to implement many different solutions. We also redesigned the front fender and nose cone to optimize airflow at the front of the car.

All these innovations make it possible to modernize the chassis more effectively over the next two seasons, even if we had to make some certain compromises. But we must maintain a high pace of modernization in all areas.

Question: Were all tasks completed during the creation of the A524?
Matt Harman: We started this project at the end of 2022 and last season we carried out certain experiments with the car. This made it possible to highlight those areas of aerodynamics and those aspects of the car’s behavior on the track that need to be targeted for improvement.

In recent events, we completed the first engine start of the A524 in January without any problems, and this was the result of a joint effort between the team at our Enstone base and the engine engineers at Viri.

This collaboration continued as the car was bench tested in preparation for the pre-season testing and race in Bahrain, as it was necessary to ensure all systems were functioning properly. During the February tests we should only concentrate on working with the settings, and not on checking the car’s systems.

We are in good shape and determined to achieve our goals, and this depends on the coordinated work of both bases in Enstone and Viri.