Red Bull revealed they took inspiration from the unlikeliest of sources for their latest upgrade package that helped Max Verstappen storm to victory at the 2023 Monaco and Spanish Grand Prix.
Red Bull arrived in Monaco with a new floor that was particularly altered towards the rear of the car, and the team’s chief engineer Paul Monaghan said they’d first spotted the design on the Williams before adapting it to their machinery.
“That piece of floor design that was out in early 2022,” Monaghan told the media in Spain. “The Williams had it quite early on and some other people had it.
“It didn’t necessarily work for us, we’ve looked at it a couple of times, and it’s a small benefit. It looks like a slightly larger change and than has actually been realised.
“It’s not going to be the most influential thing you do, it helps a little bit and we’re quite constrained, height-wise where we can do it.”
The upgrades were set to arrive in Imola for the first of Formula 1‘s scheduled triple-header, but extreme flooding in Italy pushed those arrivals back to the Monaco GP.
And it didn’t take long for Red Bull‘s secrets to be revealed as Sergio Perez hit the wall in qualifying meaning his RB19 was hoisted into the air by recovery crews for the world to see.
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella praised the team for their complex design, but Monghan said it stemmed from the team remaining humble despite dominating the 2023 season so far.
“So it’s been there for a while, it now works so we were in a position where we could include that in the in that bit of the floor and we’ve done it,” Monaghan added.
“You can’t assume that you have the best solution in all areas of the car when you first put your car on the ground.”
Red Bull remaining coy on new 2023 tyres
Pirelli are bringing fresh tyre constructions to the 2023 British Grand Prix, and teams had chance to test those in Barcelona.
However, while conceding they would have some impact on racing, Red Bull’s engineering chief remained secretive on how they’re evaluating the new specs.
“There is an impact,” Monaghan said. “I’m not gonna spill the beans as to what we have derived from it but we’ve all made our measurements and at the moment is coming for Silverstone.
“At the moment, I would say the impact is modest but I guess the acid test is Friday and Saturday, Sunday at Silverstone.”
