The small bowtie-shaped device was located under the rear crash structure, in an area that has not previously been exploited by teams, and was designed to work in conjunction with the latest floor updates.
Positioned exactly where the rear of the car is lifted in the pits meant Aston had to redesign the jack in order to ensure that the new part couldn’t be damaged.
However, during practice last Friday it showed signs of cracking, and was taken off the car for the rest of the weekend.
“It was just an experiment really to see from an aero side whether it was producing the suction that it should have been producing in that area,” said Aston Martin performance director Tom McCullough.
“Unfortunately, it wasn't quite reliable enough out on track. So we decided just as a precautionary thing to remove it for the moment.
“But it's still something we're looking into. I don't think it's been done by teams up and down the pitlane that I've seen.”
Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR23
Photo by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Expanding on the failure, he said: "It was cracking. So we elected to take it off. It was more a test item, part of the update package, so just trying to exploit all the little areas in the rules that allow you to sneak as much performance in as you can do. We're going to look at a more robust solution.”
McCullough noted that the rear jack considerations had determined when the new part made it to the car.
“This idea was actually something that the aero design team came up with several months ago,” he said.
“And the reason it's taken so long to get to the track has really been down to developing a rear jack that allows you to jack the car up.
“We had of lot of practice to make sure we can still jack the car without damaging it or slowing down the pit stop. In the end, ultimately out on track, it wasn't quite robust enough, but it's something we've not given up on.”
The rest of the new floor package featured on both cars for Saturday and Sunday in Zandvoort after Fernando Alonso tried the old and new versions on Friday, with positive results.
"The updates we've been bringing to the car really are focused around the floor,” said McCullough.
“So the whole floor is actually different, subtle changes throughout the floor, just a continuation of the updates we've been bringing in recent events, the whole package working together.
“Some brake duct changes, too. It's just small iterations, all part of the continual development phase of this car."
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