F1 News: Red Bull Admits They've "Copied Things From Other People"
As the Canadian Grand Prix, scheduled for 16-18 June, hangs in the balance, intriguing developments are unfolding in the world of Formula 1. Red Bull Racing's RB19 has become a beacon of inspiration, influencing the design philosophy of rival F1 teams. A prime example of this imitation was evident in Barcelona, where Ferrari unveiled new sidepods bearing a striking resemblance to Red Bull's. Even Mercedes, not one to be left behind, has hopped on the bandwagon and incorporated a similar suspension setup to the potent Bull.
Adrian Newey, the mastermind behind the success of the RB19, approaches this mimicry with an air of sportsmanship. Rather than viewing it as a threat, he perceives it as a compliment. Aston Martin was the pioneer in taking cues from the Austrian racing stable's design, a trend that is now echoed in multiple cars. Yet, Newey remains unphased by the imitative actions of competitors.
As he candidly confessed to Sky Sports, "It's a serious compliment when people copy. It's part of F1 of course. We all look at each other. In truth, we have copied things from other people as well."
The design landscape of F1 is a dynamic battlefield of competition, where pride has no place. Constant evaluation and learning from others are integral elements of the game.
"Some of that copying is visual, some of it is occasionally from people moving around - we have seen that this year. It's part of F1, it's an intense competition. You can't have pride. You have got to always evaluate what others are doing. You might end up directly copying it or it might give you ideas of 'why have they done that' and does that make you do something differently."
This philosophy extends to how he himself draws inspiration. Newey noted that the focus isn't necessarily on directly copying, but rather understanding why a particular design move was made and how it can incite fresh ideas.
"More often than not it's, 'this looks interesting. Let's have a look at what our car does in this area in detail and does what they have done spark any ideas of how we might develop our own car.' Not necessarily by simply copying but why have they done that and does that bring any ideas," Newey expressed.