Red Bull has enjoyed one of the most dominant runs in the history of F1, winning all but one race in 2023 so far. While many credit the prowess of Max Verstappen for the dominance, the importance of Adrian Newey is another crucial aspect of the program. The design of the 64-year-old’s RB19 has every F1 fan and expert fascinated, as many claim the car’s sidepods are what make it unbeatable. However, there is more to it, as revealed by the man himself.
These photos of the RB19’s sidepod and floor aero are why Adrian Newey is unmatched at Formula 1 car design
Red Bull are so lucky to have him and I mean that with every word pic.twitter.com/Zr4eVFFaGQ
— Matt³³⁺¹⁶ (@FM1_3316) February 23, 2023
Speaking to BBC about his car-designing genius, Newey claimed that the sidepods were only part of a whole design chain, which includes the front and the rear suspensions. He added the RB19 has a “pronounced downward slope on the top surface as it moves to the rear.” It all works its way to the floor of the car, where the true magic happens, according to Newey. “The key to success with current F1 cars is underneath,” claims the Briton, who explains the RB19 floor further.
One venturi tunnel, which is a long and narrow wing, is placed on either side of the chassis and generates extra downforce by accelerating airflow between the car and the ground. Newey explains that the flow condition is the most critical part of the design.
“It’s all about trying to condition the flow to give the best performance to the underbody. Most of what you see is as always to control the front-wheel wake, which in any open-wheel racing car is a big thing, and maximizing the shape of the underside is the key to the whole thing.”
The 64-year-old explained that lessons from his past helped him discover the approach before anyone else could. He is the only designer on the current grid who has knowledge of when F1 cars last used venturi tunnels, which dates back to the 1980s. He added it was the same reason why Red Bull was the only team to not suffer any porpoising issues in 2022.
How Adrian Newey helped Red Bull become a dominant force in F1
Speaking further in the interview, Newey credited the 2023 success of Red Bull to the fact that they were able to read the regulation changes well. Having done so, the team was able to get the fundamentals of the car right, allowing the drivers to take full advantage of a nearly flawless car. The Briton has had a track record of understanding major regulation changes well, which happened in 1998 (McLaren), 2009, and 2022 (both Red Bull), allowing his employers to make the best use of the changes.
6) How To Build A Car by Adrian Newey
Adrian Newey is the Chief Technical Officer at Red Bull Racing and is widely considered the greatest car designer in F1 history.
This book is fantastic, whether you like F1 or not.
And it’s more of a memoir than an engineering guide. pic.twitter.com/aqHNhRuHhQ
— Joe Pompliano (@JoePompliano) June 13, 2023
Thus, the other teams have to play catch-up, and they have to learn from what Newey did to be able to implement a similar concept to their cars. Addressing this year’s success, Newey mentioned cutting down on the car’s weight was another important factor for Red Bull. Paired with the near-perfect aerodynamic refinement, Red Bull had the perfect recipe that allowed them to win everywhere except in Singapore.
