Until the Autonomous Racing League of Abu Dhabi
So who really created the last three revolutionary ground-effect Red Bulls?
Did Adrian Newey simply lend his name and occasional helpful suggestions while the real work was being done by the talented, but lesser-known, group of engineers in the team’s technical division of Formula 1?
Christian Horner has been eager to publicly acknowledge the latter group, specifically praising chief aerodynamicist Enrico Balbo. Technical director Pierre Wache is also legitimately proud of the RB18, 19, and 20, creations of his design team and aerodynamic engineers.
However, it’s not that simple. To truly understand the reality, one must grasp the unique structure of this technical division and Newey’s unique role within it.
It is commonly assumed that he is in charge of all technical matters. This is not true. Wache is the technical director and reports directly to Horner, not to Newey. Newey has not served as technical director for almost a decade. He is free to contribute as much as he wishes. That’s how Horner convinced him to stay when he was about to leave last time – along with the Aston Martin Valkyrie supercar project.
Newey contributes to the technical division, as does Balbo, as well as chief designer Craig Skinner, performance engineering chief Ben Waterhouse, and car engineering chief Paul Monaghan. Wache coordinates the programs of the various departments.
Newey is a visionary, not just an aerodynamicist. His instinctive understanding of what makes a car fast, the various sensitivities involved, and how they change over time and with different regulations can be invaluable. Especially during periods of regulatory change.
Your deep understanding of car dynamics – not just aerodynamics – often provided the team with quick and effective solutions to what could have been long-term problems. Without restrictions of conventional thinking or even the contractual obligation to deliver, he is essentially a superpowerful senior consultant. Even though his contract classifies him as an employee.
He is not the person who decides what the car concept should be and makes everyone follow him on that. That is not his personality or his role. He is not leading. He is providing invaluable insights. Whenever they come. Others in more traditional roles are responsible for ensuring that the car is conceived and designed based on the best available information.
When “All F1 teams are great engineering teams, but in terms of involvement in meetings, I offer my contribution, but it is the individuals who discuss these ideas and maybe create a list and then do the work. Specifically, on this car [the RB18], I worked on the front and rear suspension and on some other components.”
This may seem casual, isn’t it? ‘Oh, the suspension and some other components.’ Yes, but behind this seemingly dull and underestimated summary was the invaluable insight that deciphered the code of the new aerodynamic regulations of that year.
The superiority of the RB18 derived from a highly sophisticated floor that intentionally sacrificed maximum aerodynamic pressure, as well as a rear suspension with the travel and tricks necessary to tame the diving phenomenon that plagued all others.
This conceptual basis was Newey’s, and although the aerodynamicists under Balbo’s supervision likely created the floor, the performance indicators used in its creation emerged from Newey’s suggestion of the concept with the most potential. He did not insist on this concept, but the preliminary research conducted by the rest of the team after his suggestion found it to be the most promising.
Once established, they embarked on the journey. This platform, along with Newey’s suspension, essentially remained the same until 2023 and 2024, making them perhaps the most dominant car family in F1 history.
Newey did not design them. He didn’t even conduct the research. But he put the exceptional group of engineers on an incredibly productive path from the start, without any of the stumbling blocks seen almost everywhere.
Would this engineering team have embarked on this path without Newey? Just as the chief scientist who wins the Nobel Prize takes credit for a team of unknown scientists, many of whom may have provided critical contributions that led to the discovery. But were they working in that direction only because of the chief scientist’s original intuition?
So the question of ‘who deserves the credit?’ is simplistic. It is a deeply holistic process that cannot be answered in simple black and white terms.
© 2024
Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo surprised his fans today with big news: he is retiring from the sport. At 39, Ronaldo announced his decision in an exclusive interview for The Sun newspaper. He revealed that he feels it is the right time to end his career and focus on new projects off the field.
Ronaldo, who is considered one of the greatest players of all time, had a brilliant career. He played for clubs like Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Juventus, winning numerous titles and breaking records. Additionally, he was the captain of the Portuguese national team and led the team to important victories, including the Eurocup win in 2016.
Despite his retirement, Ronaldo made it clear that he will not completely abandon the world of football. He plans to become a coach and pass on his knowledge and experiences to the next generation of players. Additionally, he is also interested in investing in sports-related businesses.
The news of Ronaldo’s retirement left fans emotional and nostalgic. On social media, many shared messages of gratitude and admiration for the player. The hashtag #ThankYouRonaldo quickly became a trending topic on Twitter, with fans from all over the world expressing their love for the star.
Although it is sad to see Ronaldo say goodbye to the field, his fans are eager to see what the future holds for him. With his determination and talent, there is no doubt that he will succeed in any endeavor he decides to pursue.
Thank you, Cristiano Ronaldo, for all the incredible moments you have provided us over the years. Your legend will live forever in the hearts of football fans.
