F1 News
McLaren hopeful because of Red Bull: 'This is what gives them big advantage'
- GPblog.com
Another year has passed since new regulations were introduced: the biggest changes since 2009. These changes should make 'close racing' easier. In this respect, the importance of the car's floor working well has become more important than ever. According to McLaren team boss Andrea Stella, Red Bull Racing's progression offers hope for the Woking-based team.
The so-called 'ground effect' has been back in F1 since last year. Simpler aerodynamics at the top of the cars, but the secret is in the floor these days. This should reduce the amount of 'dirty air' behind an F1 car and promote tracking. It should also bring teams closer together on a sporting level through the introduction of the budget cap.
Opportunities for McLaren?
According to Andrea Stella, teams would have been very wary of the scope of innovation they would be given, as everything is strictly monitored by the FIA. Teams are always looking for loopholes, but breaking the rules can have (big consequences).
Stella believes there is still a lot of ground to be gained in terms of the car's floor. The complexity of the floor is something many teams are currently struggling with. "From a spectacle point of view it means that whoever does a better job, like Red Bull is doing at the moment, can gain a consistent competitive advantage beyond what could have been anticipated," Stella reports to Motorsport.com. In other words, Stella argues that Red Bull Racing's dominance is largely due to the team's well-functioning floor," said the team boss.