P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull: Copying alone not enough to help rivals catch up in F1
Following Red Bull’s complete domination of Formula 1 in 2023, it is expected that their competitors will start adopting the successful concept utilized by the Milton Keynes-based team since the latest ground effect era began. This should lead to a closer battle in the 2024 season, as many of their main rivals made mistakes with their car designs last year. However, Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Wache believes that simply copying their approach won’t be enough. He emphasizes the importance of understanding the “why” behind their methods, rather than just replicating the “how”. Wache acknowledges that copying ideas from other teams is common in F1, but warns that it can be ineffective if there is no understanding or clear objective. He also admits that last year’s RB19 car, despite winning 21 out of 22 races, was not perfect and had areas that needed improvement. Wache highlights the relative performance aspect in F1, where even with the same car, other teams can do a better job. He suggests that Red Bull’s dominance was influenced by mistakes made by their competitors in developing their cars. Wache concludes by stating that the level of dominance is reliant on the performance of the others, not wanting to put pressure on them.
