F1 News, Reports and Race Results

'Brutally honest' Newey admits RB15 not yet up to par

Red Bull Racing chief technical officer Adrian Newey acknowledged that the team's RB15 chassis has not yet achieved its expected level of performance.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit's strong point has traditionally been its chassis design, thanks in large part to Newey's genius, while its main weakness in recent years has been its engine.

For this year, Red Bull has switched from Renault to Honda power, a choice that initially alarmed the team's fans when it was announced last summer but which has so far proven to be a productive move.

However, without a strong overall package, Red Bull's efforts to overhaul its Mercedes and Ferrari front-running rivals will remain fruitless.

In Bahrain, RBR team boss Christian Horner described the RB15 chassis as a "tricky" proposition for its drivers, with a narrow operating window, while Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko alluded to the car's rear-end downforce difficulties.

Newey has now also conceded that the team has its work cut out to iron out RB15's issues and improve its relative performance.

"On the chassis side, I'll be brutally honest we haven't got the car as good as we'd like it to be at the moment," the 60-year-old design guru told Sky Sports Natalie Pinkman.

"We just need to get on and do our bit.

"I think that's the nice relationship that we have with Honda that we trust each other to just get on and do our bits and not start flinging mud at each other.

"Culturally, absolutely they are very different but I think as long as you respect that and understand it then it's absolutely fine."

©RedBull

Indeed, in stark contrast to the contentious relationship that dominated the final years of its collaboration with Renault, Red Bull Racing appears to have found a harmonious and balanced partnership with Honda.

More importantly however, the Japanese manufacturer is making great strides on the engineering front, according to Newey.

"Honda are really a breath of fresh air," he said.

"It's actually motivated the whole team having this new relationship with them. They always deliver what they say. No complaints at all there.

"They're not quite at Mercedes or Ferrari level yet, but I have every confidence that they will get there quite quickly. They just instill that confidence."

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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.

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