Red Bull found a way to outwit their F1 rivals, as seen in the recently concluded Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The defending champions developed an efficacious way that helped them reduce the drag to a great extent and help the RB-19 achieve an extra 10-kilometers advantage.
As per The Race, the Milton-Keynes-based team brought in a modified beam wing that handled the DRS very effectively. In the process, the champions were able to extract a further speed advantage over their rivals.
The technical updates brought to Jeddah by each team:
Red Bull: Beam Wing, Rear Wing (Flap & Endplate)
Ferrari: Front Wing (Endplate), Beam Wing, Floor Edge
Mercedes: Rear Wing (Flap), Floor Fence
Alpine: Beam Wing
McLaren: Rear Wing, Diffuser
Alfa: Front Wing (Flaps), Rear…— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) March 17, 2023
This beam wing has helped Red Bull achieve the best overtaking speed on the grid. As seen in confident Max Verstappen’s overtakes, how easily he crossed the W14 of Lewis Hamilton or the SF-23 of Charles Leclerc.
Furthermore, the specially developed wing also helps in reducing the effect of dirty air. Therefore, it also helps the car to follow better and have an effective way to overtake the front car.
Damon Hill believes Red Bull DRS will have everyone’s attention
Damon Hill has recently revealed in an interview that the Red Bull DRS will have a lot of attention this season. After the prowess it showed in the first two races, he doesn’t rule the possibility out.
Talking to the French version of Motorsport, Hill said that the Austrian challengers can accelerate a lot more as compared to the other challengers. This will have huge attention from everyone else.
Parafina en el ala posteiror del Red Bull.
Flow viz on Red Bull’s rear wing. pic.twitter.com/60Z52BFHjd
— Albert Fabrega (@AlbertFabrega) May 20, 2022
The 1996 World Champion went on that he noticed how the RB-18’s rear wing was different from everyone else’s. It was very elongated, but when it went to DRS mode, it would have a very low profile, Hill concluded.
Competing Red Bull unrealistic in 2023, believes Toto Wolff
Toto Wolff is of the opinion that competing against the defending champions is out of the question this season. After what the Milton-Keynes-based team has shown in the first two races, chances are high that the defending champions will look to continue their 2022 run.
Astonishingly, Red Bull has won 12 of the last 13 F1 races. The only race they couldn’t win was the 2022 Brazilian Grand Prix, where Mercedes picked up their only win.
Given the W-14 is so far off the pace, Wolff believes going head-to-head against them doesn’t make sense in 2023. He also stated that it’s not at all realistic to go against the reigning champions for their supremacy in race pace.
