I dont know what that suspension element is. Maybe a rotative adjuster for the springs?
The '23 centerline cooling size decrease is probably due to a better angle too. It's facing the air so it can be smaller.
Smaller rads → slimmer ducts & less air needed → slimmer rollhoop → more air for rear wing* & less drag → more downofrce → 23 triple podiums for Alpine.
*or the same amount of DF but with less lift produced by the less wide and sloping rollhoop cover
Do this cooler raise CoG? not necessarily, & A523 has 3000kg of ballast so it can offset that.
& even if it raises CoG, aero gains are probably 5 times worth the car dynamics loss
But Harman said the new system is more efficient too