Red Bull: The Once And Future King

Text and Photo by Dana Larkin

When Sebastian Vettel crossed the line victorious at the Indian Grand Prix, it meant something special to Red Bull technical chief Adrian Newey. As Newey broke down in tears of joy, one couldn’t help but recall his walk through the paddock just hours before sporting an all-knowing and condescending grin. It was clear to see from his glowing expression that everything his rivals were toiling so hard to invent, he had already perfected.

With all the buzz over Ferrari’s “new” flexing front wing, it is easy to forget that – for Newey and Red Bull – that is old technology. They had mastered the flexible – and certified legal – front wing back in 2010. Now Ferrari is openly trying to imitate it as part of its 2012 development program. The sparks flying from Massa’s front wing told the story of how far they have to go. Meanwhile, Newey and Red Bull continue to disappear into the distance.

In short, every Formula 1 team on the grid is desperately trying to take a bite out of Red Bull’s technology and development lead. But they are all losing.

Nowhere is Red Bull’s dominance more apparent than in their development of the exhaust blown diffuser. Though banned for 2012, those who mastered it and moved on in 2011 will have an advantage under the new regulations. And no team has mastered it like Red Bull. For them, it is old technology. They have been there and done that. And the news gets worse for those teams currently playing catch up. Just as a few appear to be getting a grip on the art of exhaust blowing, the FIA has clamped down hard on a few loopholes potentially making the technology totally unusable in 2012.

Rumors from the paddock abound lately about exhaust collector tanks and directing gases through the back wings. These rumors have inspired the FIA to effectively forbid any off-throttle exhaust blowing by way of stringent engine mapping limitations to take effect in 2012. More than one F1 boss – including McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh and Renault’s Eric Boullier – has expressed frustration with these regulations and how they are wreaking havoc on their 2012 engineering plans.

“You have to make a decision now on car concepts and it is already too late,” Boullier told Autosport’s Jonathan Noble. ”Some teams like ours have already started producing concepts of the car, so the concept has been finalised weeks ago. We need to stop changing the regulations all the time.”

If all of this sounds a bit like sour grapes to you, join the club.

All the while Adrian Newey walks the paddock with that Cheshire grin. A grin inspired by how dominant his Red Bull team currently is and how far its rivals must go to even begin catching up.

 

Good article. Did it kill you to write that, Dana?

 

I'm sure he had to rub his ears and say whoosah a few times.

Still, Great article Dana.

 

Great read and so very true. Pic is a great shot as well.

 

 

Great article as always, Dana. Red Bull is very much like Brawn GP but they have the financial backing to keep up with developments unlike Brawn did. As brilliant as Red Bull's engineers are, I can't help but wonder how much of their dominance over the last two seasons has come down to developmental luck and simply coming up with the right ideas at the right time, i.e. before their competitors.

It also doesn't hurt that their Vettel is one of the smoothest, fastest drivers on the grid.

 

Pretty much, but that is because they have Newey

 

Great article Dana thanks!

 

I think it's the first time I come to this section, this article was featured in the TS fb page.
Great write up barrister,very interesting to read ! I've became a uge fan of F1 because of the engineers work of art on their car. It amazes me to see how red bull possesses such a colossal lead in car developpement!
3 years agoe I had a hard time figuring if I should go in law studies or engineering, I guess I had not the level for the second one... Law studies were, I think, the best option for me and I don't regret it!

 

Great read.