Newey digs in at Red Bull to help turn around season

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Adrian Newey has stepped up his involvement at Red Bull Racing to try and help the Milton Keynes outfit lift the performance of its new-spec RB13.

Red Bull has yet to emerge as the threat to Mercedes and Ferrari it was expecting to be before the season kicked off in Melbourne.

The team's RB13 appeared to suffer at the outset from wind tunnel correlation issues and insufficient down force linked to its aero design, Newey's specific field of expertise.

The British engineer was on hand in Barcelona last weekend to get a better understanding of what is required to deliver a step-up in performance

"He has just been listening very carefully to what the drivers have been having to say and it is a bit like a trip to the doctors," said team boss Christian Horner.

"He has been very keen to understand what the drivers' feedback and comments are, and I am sure he will be looking to evolve this package accordingly.

"[Over the winter] he has been involved 50 percent of the time in the background of this car, but since the Barcelona test he has been very involved. I think that will continue for the time being."

In the past year, Newey has been mostly imbedded in Aston Martin's hypercar project but with his involvement there winding down, he has now switched his focus back to Formula 1.

"He has obviously been involved," added Horner.

"He has sat in the meetings weekly, he has been very involved in this development of the car and the concept of this car.

"The design group is designed to accommodate the way that Adrian works in a fairly unique manner."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.