Red Bull explained how a private test conducted with Max Verstappen prior to Formula 1’s Spanish Grand Prix was done to compare an older car to the latest iteration.
The Austrian outfit commenced the latest campaign with its dominance from previous terms appearing to remain intact as Verstappen took four victories in six races.
However, the competition has closed up at the top as McLaren and Ferrari have claimed wins, while Verstappen has been made to work for his more recent triumphs.
With five rounds to come in the next six weeks approaching the summer break, Red Bull chose to head to Imola with Verstappen to sample the title-winning 2022 car.
Red Bull Chief Engineer Paul Monaghan has revealed the test was about understanding the strengths and weaknesses of the RB20 compared to its RB18 predecessor.
“We really try to give Max a reference from a previous car,” Monaghan elucidated.
“When you’re trying to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a current car, his reference is the current car and you might say, ‘oh well in previous years we’ve had this, we’ve had that’.
“Have we really because we haven’t run them at the same time?
“So, in taking that car out, we try to give Max a reference to judge it from and he’s been able to give us feedback from that. It’s up to us what we do.”
Asked whether his feedback had changed at all since the test, Monaghan replied: “His feedback won’t change as such, we just give him a different reference.
“The strengths and weaknesses of the cars are how we perceive it, we can obviously judge relative to our opposition.
“But we blend that with his comments, Checo’s comments and we say okay, are we good, are we bad?
“Look in the data, see if it’s valid to say we’re better or worse than other people, what’s his perception, why is he saying it and then what on earth do we do about it?”
Red Bull has added five updates to the RB20 this weekend – including a revised sidepod inlet, which “should be good everywhere” – as it aims to protect its advantage.
Questioned on whether the new parts were bigger than previous developments, Monaghan retorted: “No, similar magnitude.
“He’s getting a slightly larger carve up on the car, so at the moment we’re asymptoting [sic] with this one and then the same dilemma applies to [20]25.”
Red Bull has been tipped to return to being the benchmark now that conventional circuits where its prevalent kerb-riding problem won’t be exposed are on the agenda.
Monaghan suspects Red Bull is well-placed to be competitive across the upcoming tracks, but he has cautioned that the side must ensure it maximises its prospects.
“We’ll find out on Sunday won’t we, but yeah a normal track, so this place relatively high speed, aerodynamic sensitivity, then we go a thousand metres above sea level, three straights, three low speed, three high speed corners or quickish corners and then with Silverstone where large chunks of it are flat out,” he acknowledged.
“So, each track presents its own challenge and I think if we do our jobs diligently and well then, we can have a competitive car.
“What other people do, we can’t influence, we can’t control and we’re judged relative to them.
“So Hungary again, we’re back up on maximum downforce there won’t we, and a week later we’re in Spa.
“I mean the skinniest rear wing we’ll have run this year other than perhaps something like Jeddah.
“So normal races and we’re shuffling the downforce around, changing the cooling, going to Monza to the maximum.
“If they’re all similar tracks then maybe I’m naive, but we can have some fun.”
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