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'I would still choose Newey over any other designer with that penalty'
Adrian Newey is the mastermind behind the RB19. The Red Bull is so dominant this year that the team is still unbeaten in 2023. Max Verstappen is breaking record after record, and it is actually no longer a question of whether the Dutchman will be champion but when he will be champion. Steve Nichols, the man behind the successful McLaren in 1988, says he would prefer Newey with the penalty due to the budget cap to any other designer without the penalty.
Since the rulebook changes in 2022, Red Bull seems unbeatable. The Austrian racing stable faced competition from Ferrari at the start of the season last year, but that was short-lived. Especially in 2023, Red Bull almost always leaves the competition behind, except for a few qualifying sessions.
Verstappen-Newey combination
And the team managed that with a penalty for exceeding the budget cap in 2021. Red Bull got 10% less time in the wind tunnel than they were originally supposed to get. That doesn't matter to Nichols, he told Topgear: "If it was my choice, I'd choose Adrian and a 10 per cent penalty over any other designer in the pit lane. Max Verstappen’s a brilliant driver as well, and that's the sort of combination it takes to win World Championships."