Red Bull Racing seems to have hit a snag in their aspirations to continue dominating the F1 grid in 2024, with rumors surfacing of the RB20 failing the pre-season crash test. Motorsport Week recently quoted Helmut Marko, who addressed the issue by stating the news would be a concern for Red Bull had the team passed the test on their first attempt.
“If we had passed the first crash test, that would be precisely the problem. Then we wouldn’t have done well!”, stated Marko.
While he merely detailed it was a good thing “if” they did not pass the test in the first go, Marko neither confirmed nor denied any accusations, leaving doubt floating around in the air.
Should the rumors be true, it could lead to Red Bull having to change their car’s parts mere days before the pre-season testing begins, building up a worrisome atmosphere within the camp.
| Helmut Marko says it’s “ridiculous” to say a failed crash test is a concern for Red Bull.
He explains it’s actually positive to fail the first test:https://t.co/VupHhh34cY
— formularacers (@formularacers_) January 5, 2024
Per the earliest reports that came in from the Italian media, Red Bull’s failure came after a weight-saving measure on the nose of the car led to the RB20 failing the frontal crash test.
However, Marko remains unfazed by the news, stating the rumored failure is a good thing for the team. The rejection allows them to further work on understanding their car and improving its safety, which will eventually benefit the drivers should they ever be in a crash in 2024.
What was the test that Red Bull rumoredly failed?
To ensure that the safety standards remain at the highest possible level in each season, F1 conducts a safety test where each team must subject their chassis to a series of crash tests. The tests include frontal impact, rear impact, and impacts from each side. The speed stays between 22 and 33 mph, as it gives an accurate idea of how much impact a chassis can absorb.
Meanwhile, the driver’s cell should remain completely intact, and in case of a frontal impact, a driver should not be subject to more than 60G within 0.03 seconds of impact. In total, 20 scenarios make up the test.
Red Bull are already turning their attention to their 2025 package.
Despite being well into their preparations for the 2024 season, Red Bull is already working to stay one step ahead of its rivals.#F1 #RedBull pic.twitter.com/Mi9PghIi5C
— Formula 1 Daily (@Formula1_Daily) January 6, 2024
While teams continue to work on their chassis, the first 20 days of February should see all of them unveil their cars, as pre-season testing will commence on the 21st of February and conclude on the 23rd. Given Red Bull reportedly started working on their 2024 car in August last year, the Milton Keynes-based team has a distinct advantage over the rest of the field.
In fact, the team is so far ahead that even before they reveal their 2024 car, Ben Waterhouse (Red Bull Head of Performance Engineering) claimed they have already started working on plans for the 2025 season.
