P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The Red Bull designer reveals how an important regulation change off the back of a key issue in 2022 enabled the team to extend their performance gap to rivals.
The Red Bull RB19 was incredibly dominant in the 2023 Formula 1 season, winning 21 out of 22 races. Their pace advantage was so superior to their rivals that they could start from anywhere on the grid and still win, as shown by Max Verstappen’s victory from 15th place in the Saudi Arabian GP. Verstappen’s performance in the RB19 broke win records previously held by McLaren in 1988, with a win percentage of 95% and 30 podium finishes out of 42 between Verstappen and Sergio Perez. Designer Adrian Newey was surprised by Red Bull’s success, attributing much of it to a regulation change in 2023 that improved their aerodynamic performance. Despite facing challenges in qualifying, Newey explained that they prioritized race performance over one-lap speed in the car’s design, which proved successful.
