Adrian Newey's brilliant idea bears fruit
F1 News
- Nicole Mulder
Besides the off-season car development, there is also a lot of work going on between the Grand Prix weekends. For example, Red Bull Racing is trying to close the gap to Mercedes with smaller updates. What were the most important updates they brought to the Eifel Grand Prix?
Closing the gap
Red Bull Racing continues to work on improvements in an effort to get closer to Mercedes. At the Eifel Grand Prix at the Nürburgring they came up with some interesting updates, which allowed Max Verstappen to keep up with Lewis Hamilton’s pace quite well. Giorgio Piola reviews the latest adjustments to the RB16 for the Italian Motorsport.com, one of which has remained a secret so far.
One of the adjustments, invented by Adrian Newey, concerns the rear suspension. The position of the upper bracket has been raised, which ensures better driveability. This update was tested for the first time during the third free practice session on Saturday morning, where the drivers immediately noticed an obvious improvement in the handling of the cars. As a result, the update was also used in qualifying that same afternoon.
In addition, adjustments were made to the support of the rearview mirror. This is now attached at straight angles to the chassis, where it used to be bent. Also a fin has appeared on the outside of the halo, providing aerodynamic improvements.
Secret update
Finally, the update which has remained unnoticed until now: A slot in the side flap of the wing end plate. This ensures that the airflow from the front wing is sucked through the side of the car. This can lead to more downforce and less turbulence, as the tires suffer less from this airflow.