Despite the challenges faced by Mercedes with the idea, Red Bull seems to have successfully integrated it into their new design. Toto Wolff downplayed the importance of Mercedes abandoning their unique ‘no sidepods’ car design from the previous season, especially considering that Red Bull has adopted a somewhat similar design for their 2024 vehicle. “There are some elements they took from our car,” confessed the Mercedes team boss to Austrian channel ORF. “Not just the sidepods, but also our engine cover – which we called ‘The Great Wall’ at the time. It may not be visually pleasing, but the solution is logical,” explained Wolff. Despite Mercedes’ difficulties with the concept, Red Bull seems to have incorporated it perfectly into their new design.
Wolff emphasized that the true performance comes from the floor. “These cars rely on ground effect, and Red Bull has excelled in this area in recent years. There have probably been even greater advancements in this domain,” he stated. “I simply didn’t anticipate such a drastic change in the bodywork. It was a bold move because if they had played it safe, they would have continued developing a truly exceptional car. Data always guides your progress, and the data must have shown that these new developments offer significantly more downforce. Otherwise, Red Bull wouldn’t have pursued it,” Wolff asserted. Ivan Capelli, former Formula 1 driver, praised Adrian Newey’s innovative approach to Red Bull’s 2024 design. “Newey completely revolutionized Red Bull, surprising everyone,” he shared with Sky Italia. “He suddenly made all the other cars obsolete.”
With Max Verstappen leading the charge, Red Bull is ready to maintain their domination in Formula 1, starting with the next race in Bahrain. “He serves as an example for every driver,” noted Capelli. “Last year, he made only one mistake, which was a spin during practice in the United States. That demonstrates the high standards he has set, similar to what Senna and Schumacher did in their time. It’s now almost impossible for him to lose that level of performance.” Fernando #Alonso acknowledges Mercedes’ interest in replacing Lewis Hamilton with him.
Regarding Mercedes’ 2024 competitor, which resembles Red Bull’s previous designs, it seems to fall slightly behind Ferrari’s new model. “Ferrari has taken a significant step forward,” commented former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde on the DRS De Race Show podcast. “They had minimal tire degradation during testing, after facing that issue last year. Max will win the race, but I predict an exciting battle between Ferrari and (Sergio) Perez for the remaining positions.”
