RED BULL’S SIMPLICITY
Red Bull’s uncomplicated package stood out compared to its rivals in Melbourne, even more so when a major upgrade was expected from design guru Adrian Newey and his team.
Notwithstanding a couple of tweaks on the bargeboards and endplates, the Oz GP-spec RB13 did not depart much from the machine seen in winter testing.
Still, the Milton Keynes-based outfit has had to review the car’s suspension in the wake of the FIA’s technical directive and checks in Barcelona aimed at clarifying suspension designs.
Last year’s RB12 was running a high rake angle and the Red Bull charger was built on the premise that the rear suspension could lower on a straight line (in order to reduce drag).
With the system outlawed for this year, Red Bull engineers have been forced to adapt their design philosophy.
One will also notice the under-floor plank, which no longer has to be made out of wood (it is in plastic on the Red Bull, see image above). Excessive wear will lead to a car being disqualified. The plank is 10mm thick with a tolerance of +/- 1mm.
