Last year’s Red Bull RB19 dominated all but one of the 22 Grand Prix races in the previous season, leading many to believe that Adrian Newey and his team would develop the concept that was imitated by most of the other nine teams.
However, instead of pursuing their own original design, they have chosen to adopt Mercedes’ unsuccessful ‘zero-sidepod’ package and interpret it in their own way. The early indications from the first day of F1 testing in Bahrain suggest that the RB20, along with drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez, possesses a unique advantage for the upcoming 2024 season.
During a discussion with journalists, one participant remarked, “In reality, you can test it within the limitations imposed on all teams, such as wind tunnels, simulators, CFD, and other resources. If there is an improvement, it’s only natural to give it a try. Sometimes, you can incorporate certain design features from another car and benefit from it.”
Another commentator added, “This shouldn’t come as a surprise. Is it a risk? Sergio Perez mentioned that it’s quite a significant change. However, down the line, it could potentially benefit them. Of course, it all depends on how well the overall concept integrates with Red Bull’s current setup.”
“The true test lies in what the other teams bring,” continued the commentator. “Their performance will determine whether copying Mercedes was a wise decision. Sure, Mercedes wasn’t very competitive, but there might be certain elements in each car that are superior to what you have. The key is to cleverly piece together all those components in your own design and make it work. That’s what they always do – they copy, copy.”
“That’s where Adrian and his team excel,” emphasized the commentator. “They are incredibly astute and have the ability to identify potential performance gains from someone else’s design. So, why not take advantage of it? Why stick with what they had last year? If they do, they could be in trouble because we expect everyone else to improve. You don’t want to settle for what you have; you have to try something different,” concluded the commentator.
Former three-time Grand Prix winner, Herbert, is cautious about Red Bull’s chances of replicating their success from last year. He predicts, “It all comes down to what Adrian comes up with. If he can discover something that others haven’t even considered, it wouldn’t be the first time. He has done it many times before.”
While it’s still early days, the first day of testing for the 2024 F1 season suggests that Newey may have done it again with the Red Bull RB20, as it topped the initial sessions, albeit in a testing environment. This undoubtedly brings joy to Verstappen and Perez, making them the happiest drivers leading up to the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, while also causing concern for their competitors.
