Red Bull Criticizes F1 Rivals for Copying Floor Design
During the Monaco Grand Prix weekend, Red Bull’s frustration grew as images of its floor and diffuser design were publicly exposed when Sergio Perez’s crashed car was being removed during qualifying.
Several competitors of Red Bull admitted to gaining valuable insights from the displayed RB19, with Mercedes acknowledging that its aerodynamicists were studying a collection of images.
Red Bull believes that if other teams discovered something interesting with their floor design, it would likely take until the Japanese Grand Prix for them to implement changes. However, Red Bull also contends that mere replication of what they have seen will not yield any progress.
Expressing his thoughts on the revealed floor images, Chief Engineer Paul Monaghan stated, “It’s not ideal. We don’t showcase our car like that, but it has happened, and we will move forward. However, there is a time delay between observing it, applying it to their own car, and actually achieving faster speeds. An ignorant copy will not necessarily result in improved performance. It requires integration, and it’s not just a matter of replicating the floor geometry.”
Monaghan explained that the process of incorporating design ideas onto a car takes several months, suggesting that it could be October before any imitation concepts emerge on real cars.
“Our development plan is well-structured in terms of the timings for implementing improvements that can make us faster,” he added.
Mercedes’ floor design was also exposed in Monaco.
“If we disrupt someone else’s development plan, it would likely extend the time delay for them to apply it to their car. So, around the time of the Japanese Grand Prix, we will assess everyone’s progress,” Monaghan explained.
“However, we must maintain our discipline and stick to our own development path. We can only modify our own car; we cannot control what others do. Therefore, we will continue our efforts in our own way and strive to be the fastest.”
In addition to the speculation surrounding Red Bull’s floor design, challengers Mercedes and Ferrari have recently adopted Red Bull’s downwash sidepod concept.
Regarding the convergence of design among teams, Monaghan commented that this had been a recurring phenomenon in Formula 1 for years, so it was not a cause for excessive excitement.
“If we go back to 2009, 2010, 2011, even ’14, we won races with a package similar to what Mercedes had,” he added. “So, we are not exempt from doing the same.
“Other teams will examine our car and try to incorporate influences from it if they believe it will make them faster. That’s fine.
“Just ask McLaren about 2011 and how their car looked when it wasn’t performing well. Then it suddenly appeared with an exhaust that looked just like ours, and it became quite competitive.
“So, it has been happening for many years, and it will continue. It’s a way of leveling the playing field. After all, there are no copyrights in this sport, are there?”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about floor design
What is Red Bull criticizing their F1 rivals for?
Red Bull is criticizing their F1 rivals for copying their floor design.
Why does Red Bull believe that simply copying the floor design won’t lead to progress?
Red Bull believes that just copying the floor design won’t result in progress because it requires integration and is not solely about replicating the floor geometry. They emphasize the need for the design to be integrated into the overall car setup.
How long does Red Bull think it will take for other teams to implement changes based on their floor design?
Red Bull estimates that it will take until around the time of the Japanese Grand Prix for other teams to make design changes if they find something interesting with the floor. This suggests that the implementation process may take several months.
What does Chief Engineer Paul Monaghan say about the phase lag between seeing the design and going faster with it?
Paul Monaghan acknowledges the phase lag between people seeing the design, applying it to their car, and actually achieving faster speeds. He mentions that an ignorant copy won’t necessarily make a car go faster, as successful implementation and integration are crucial factors.
How does Red Bull view the convergence of design among teams in Formula 1?
Red Bull sees the convergence of design among teams as a common occurrence in Formula 1. They mention examples from the past where teams have taken influences from each other to improve performance. They believe it’s a way of leveling the playing field and emphasize that there are no copyrights in the sport.
8 comments
Red Bull be like, “Yo, stop copying our sick floor design, bro!” They say just copying won’t make you go faster, gotta integrate it, you know? Gotta wait till Japan time to see who’s where. No copyrights in F1, man!
Can’t blame Red Bull for being ticked off ’bout rivals copying their floor design. But hey, they gotta keep their game strong and stick to their own plan. No control over what others do, right? Let’s see who comes out on top, Japan time!
Red Bull ain’t happy ’bout rivals gainin’ insights from their floor design. But hey, it’s happened before in F1. McLaren did it, Mercedes did it. Ain’t no surprise. Gotta level the field, right? No copyrights in this sport, mate!
Red Bull ain’t happy with others checkin’ out their floor design. They reckon just copyin’ won’t make ’em faster. Gotta integrate, mate!
So Red Bull got annoyed when their car’s floor got exposed. Other teams claimin’ they gained some insights, but Red Bull says they won’t go faster just by copyin’. Takes more than floor geometry, innit?
Red Bull’s chief engineer ain’t pleased about the whole floor design leak. Says it won’t help others much, ’cause copyin’ ain’t gonna make ’em quicker. Gotta have a proper plan, mate!
Red Bull’s design secrets got out in Monaco. Mercedes admitted havin’ a stash of photos to study. Red Bull ain’t worried, though. They say it’ll take ages for others to catch up. No copyrights in F1, huh?
Red Bull’s floor design is causin’ a stir. Some teams claim they’ve learned a thing or two. But Red Bull’s not sweatin’ it. They say it’s gonna take ages for the copycats to catch up. Let’s see who’s fastest, mate!