The 2022 Formula 1 season brought forth a slew of new regulations, and Red Bull and Mercedes took distinctly different paths in interpreting and implementing these changes. When Mercedes unveiled their unconventional ‘zero pod’ concept, it raised concerns about how this would impact their performance relative to their rivals. However, as it turns out, Red Bull’s approach proved to be the winning formula, with the team refining their strategy throughout 2022 and into the 2023 Formula 1 season, establishing themselves as the dominant force on the grid.
During a recent episode of the Beyond the Grid podcast, Adrian Newey, renowned Formula 1 designer, was asked about what Red Bull got right with these regulations to achieve such a significant advantage. In his characteristic humor, Newey responded, “I can’t tell you that, can I?” However, he did provide some insights into their journey to dominance and the development path that led to their current success.
Newey explained that the RB19, the car for the 2023 season, is a close evolution of its predecessor, the RB18. He emphasized the importance of getting the regulations right early on, which allowed them to build upon a strong foundation from the RB18.
“[The RB]19 is clearly a very close evolution of 18,” Newey stated. “The RB18 was conceived in a relatively short time compared to most, if not all, of our rivals. In 2021, we found ourselves in a championship battle with Mercedes, and because of that, we decided to put significant effort into developing that car. This was a departure from our usual approach because, for the first time in many years, we had a genuine shot at the championship.”
While other teams like Ferrari took a different approach by shifting their focus to the 2022 car early on, Red Bull continued development on their 2021 car for an extended period. Newey acknowledged that, theoretically, this could have put them at a disadvantage. However, he highlighted the significance of getting the car’s architectural fundamentals right.
Newey elaborated, “What we managed to do is get the architecture right. When the RB18 first hit the track in Bahrain last year, Ferrari was as quick, if not quicker, early in the season. But we got the fundamentals right, and that provided a solid foundation for our subsequent development.”
In summary, Red Bull’s success in F1 2023 can be attributed to their early focus on nailing the architectural aspects of their car, which provided a strong platform for evolution. While Newey playfully withheld specific secrets, he emphasized the importance of getting the basics right in the world of Formula 1, and it’s evident that Red Bull has achieved just that.
