During F1 pre-season testing in Bahrain, Max Verstappen showcased his skills as he took charge of the Red Bull RB20.
Honda have admitted they were “very surprised” by the extent of Red Bull’s changes to the RB20 car for the F1 2024 season after a dominant 2023 campaign.
Red Bull produced the most dominant season in F1 history last year, winning 21 of a possible 22 races as Max Verstappen (19 victories) eased to a third successive World Championship.
Honda amazed by Red Bull RB20 revolution for F1 2024
Instead of merely improving upon their existing design for F1 2024, the Constructors’ Champions took a bold step and opted for a fresh concept with the RB20. Their goal was to maintain their advantage over rival teams, considering the potential decline in performance gains due to the third season of ground effect rules.
Red Bull’s gamble has greatly paid off as they kick-started the new campaign with four impressive victories, featuring three consecutive one-two finishes courtesy of Verstappen and Sergio Perez, out of the first five races.
After the team’s remarkable success in 2023, Koji Watanabe, President of the Honda Racing Corporation, expressed astonishment at Red Bull’s unexpected decision to change course with the RB20.
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In an interview with Motorsport.com, he expressed his surprise at the significant changes made to the RB20, this year’s Red Bull car.
“It’s unbelievable that despite winning 21 out of the 22 races together last year, they still decided to change the concept.”
“We received numerous requests to modify our engine according to the new concept for the RB20.”
We were utterly taken aback by the multitude of changes made to the RB20 when we witnessed it firsthand.
Comparisons have been made between the RB20 and the Mercedes zero-pod design of 2022/23, with the car’s small sidepod inlets being the main elements under scrutiny.
In light of the current engine-freeze restrictions, Mr. Watanabe has disclosed Honda’s involvement in facilitating Red Bull’s significant modifications for the upcoming season. The primary objective of these changes is to enhance the reliability of the power unit for F1 2024.
He clarified that while increasing the power was not possible, we could modify the engine to suit the new machine.
In addition to that, we have also focused on enhancing the engine’s reliability, which has been our main objective during the previous winter.
Red Bull’s increased freedom in design and aerodynamic concept has allowed them to modify the placement of various components such as oil coolers, radiators, and more.
Last year, there was an instance where we faced a potential risk of damaging the power unit. Fortunately, it did not escalate into a significant problem. However, it is crucial for us to consistently minimize such risks.
We have put forth our utmost effort to enhance the reliability of the engine even more this year.
Red Bull were rocked on Wednesday morning by the news that legendary designer Adrian Newey, who has orchestrated much of the their success over their last two decades, will leave the team in early 2025.
There are rumors circulating that Newey has been offered contracts by Ferrari and Aston Martin. It is believed that Honda will also team up with Aston Martin for Formula 1’s upcoming rules reset in 2026.
Read next: Adrian Newey’s gardening leave explained: How F1 legend will spend his final days at Red Bull
