Formula 1 launches: AlphaTauri reveal new look for 2023 season

AlphaTauri become fourth team to reveal their new look for the 2023 season, with AT04 featuring red to mark partnership with new sponsor PKR Orlen; F1 rookie Nyck de Vries joins Yuki Tsunoda as the team look to improve on last season’s disappointing ninth-placed finish

AlphaTauri have revealed their new livery for the 2023 Formula 1 season at a glitzy launch in New York City.

Their AT04 car carries a similar look to it’s predecessor, with the main change being the addition of red, most notably on the rear wing, to reflect their partnership with new sponsor PKN Orlen.

Saturday’s livery reveal took place in Manhattan alongside the AlphaTauri Fashion’s launch of their 2023 Autumn/Winter collection, coinciding with New York Fashion Week.

Red Bull’s sister team are hoping to bounce back from a disappointing 2022 campaign, which saw them finish ninth in the constructors’ championship.

The Italian squad welcome F1 rookie Nyck de Vries for 2023, following the departure of Pierre Gasly to Alpine, while Yuki Tsunoda remains with the team for his third season in the sport.

“We learned a lot from the AT03 along the course of its development and much of what we learned has gone forward into the general layout of the AT04 to address some of the weaknesses we identified from last year’s car,” AlphaTauri technical director Jody Egginton said.

“In simple terms, we were lacking a little bit of downforce compared to our main competitors and there was an opportunity for mass reduction.”

More to follow…

What’s new on the cars for 2023?

While there is no rules overhaul for next year like there was for 2022, there are subtle changes to the rules and cars that teams can take advantage of.

The most notable is a higher ride height. This is essentially lifting the cars higher off the ground to help reduce the bouncing ‘porpoising’ phenomenon that affected teams – most notably Mercedes – in 2022.

This is done by raising the floor edge and throat, while the diffuser edge has also been stiffened. There is also an additional sensor to effectively monitor porpoising.

While these are mostly for safety reasons and are expected to initially cost teams time due to a stiffer floor, it could also narrow the field with a higher ride height thought to have been key to Red Bull and Ferrari’s 2023 cars.

The other changes to the cars revolve around outlawing designs such as Aston Martin’s rear wing and Mercedes’ front wing from 2023, and more safety additions.

The roll hoops, for example, have been strengthened following Zhou’s dramatic crash at Silverstone last year.