F1 News: Red Bull Copies Mercedes Aero - Is Adrian Newey Taking Them To School?
Red Bull has turned heads with the unveiling of their 2024 RB20, which appears to draw heavy inspiration from Mercedes' previous design. The revelation has sparked a buzz around whether Adrian Newey is taking Mercedes to school, turning their struggling design into a winning formula.
Key Takeaways:
- Red Bull's RB20 car design closely mirrors the Mercedes W14 concept, especially in the vertical sidepod inlet shape and cooling arrangements.
- Team principal Christian Horner and drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez defend the design, emphasizing innovation and performance.
- The design shift indicates Red Bull's bold strategy to maintain their competitive edge, despite their recent dominance in the sport.
Red Bull Press Image
Red Bull Racing has unveiled the RB20, a car that closely resembles the aerodynamic features of its rival Mercedes' W14 model used during the 2023 season. The unveiling, which took place at Red Bull's Milton Keynes headquarters, saw journalists focus on the reported allegations surrounding team principal Christian Horner. However, the design of the RB20 quickly became the centre of attention on X, formerly Twitter, where engineers and aerodynamicists quickly tore the design apart.
"There’s some great innovation in the car as well and it will no doubt get scrutinised over the coming weeks," Horner admitted to the press at the event.
"Creativity has been strong in the team and you can see that in some of the solutions that they’ve come up with. It’s not a conservative evolution.
"There’s some real innovation on the car."
Max Verstappen joined him in sharing his excitement for the "aggressive" design work.
"I do like what the team has done," he told Sky Sports News. "It's not a conservative car. It's not like, 'last year was a great car, we'll just add a few bits and try to make it a little bit faster'.
"I do think they've been quite bold and that's what I like. They've been quite aggressive.
"Everyone is very positive, everyone is very motivated and I'm just very excited to learn more about the car."
The RB20's debut has raised questions about Red Bull's departure from a sidepod design trend they once initiated, especially with the new aerodynamic regulations introduced in 2022. Its vertical sidepod inlet shape and the cooling arrangement are reminiscent of the Mercedes W14 zero-pod concept, suggesting a strategic pivot or an acknowledgment of the rival team's successful design elements, albeit one they changed at the 2023 Monaco Grand Prix.
It's no secret that Adrian Newey, Red Bull's CTO, was intrigued by the design of the W13 and the W14 which proceeded it. He was often seen donning his famous book and pencil, towering over the "dropped dough" car.
It's a big year for Red Bull, with them carrying the pressure of their 2023 success on their shoulders which feeling the breath of their competitors on the backs of their necks. Can they show us yet another dominant season? Or will another team take up the mantle at the front of the grid?