Newey feared identical cars after rule change in 2022
F1 News
- Cas van de Kleut
Since the introduction of the new regulations in 2022, Red Bull Racing has had the fastest car. The RB19 has dealt best with the changes to the heavier cars, which have made tracking other cars more feasible. When the new rules were announced, technical director Adrian Newey was convinced that all cars would be similar, he reveals to Sky Sports F1.
New rules
Since 2022, Formula 1 teams have been driving new cars. The teams should be closer together, making races more exciting. The new rules finally ended the dominance of Mercedes, which also went down in the drivers' championship against Max Verstappen in 2021.
Meanwhile, the new cars have been driven for almost a year and a half, and Red Bull clearly has the upper hand. The Austrian racing stable managed to win all the races run so far in the 2023 season, and it looks like the other teams have little chance of making things really difficult for Red Bull.
Newey feared identical cars
Still, before the cars first went out during the winter tests in 2022, there were concerns among Newey: "I have to admit when the rules came out in 2020, they appeared very restrictive and I was quite concerned all the cars would look identical. There was a bit of relaxation because I think a lot of teams felt that way."
Meanwhile, it is clear that the teams have all gone a different way: "Particularly in the sidepod shapes there have been a huge variety. We don't have the resources, when we are researching a car, to explore all avenues. So quite early on you go, 'right this is the avenue we want to purse' and off you go." Red Bull Racing's technical director explained.