P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The cooling tweaks that opened the door for Red Bull’s bold sidepods
The focus has predominantly been on the visual aspects and the inlet arrangement of the RB20, but equally intriguing are the internal modifications that allowed for this design shift. Red Bull’s efforts to alter the cooling arrangements under the bodywork enabled the designers to make substantial changes. There has been a notable shift in the positioning of radiators and coolers within the RB20 compared to its predecessor, emphasizing an improved layout inside the sidepod bodywork and under the engine cover. Red Bull has prioritized central cooling in recent years, evidenced by mounting a large cooler above the power unit to relieve pressure on the sidepods. The trend of locating coolers above the power unit seems to align with Honda’s preference, influencing Red Bull’s holistic approach to optimizing ancillary placements to meet aerodynamic and cooling requirements while enhancing mass distribution throughout the car. The RB20 features a revised layout of radiators and coolers within the sidepod, adopting a V-shaped arrangement atop one another to enable a deeper midline cut beneath the bodywork, a departure from the previous tail-down orientation. This innovative cooling strategy demonstrates a strategic evolution reminiscent of past designs by other teams such as Sauber in 2004, indicating Red Bull’s continuous pursuit of aerodynamic efficiency and thermal management advancements.
