OnEcRiTiCaL wrote: ↑19 Feb 2024, 00:22
AR3-GP wrote: ↑18 Feb 2024, 23:20
I think the transformation here is too extreme. There is no indication that Rb would abandon an undercut philosophy (which is what Merc did previously, and what the transformation in this video clip also shows).
Extreme is one thing, but without sidepods you gonna have so much drag and slow in corners. Without sidepods you can't control the airflow around the floor edges and the rear of the car. They dominance immediately would be over.
Red Bull and their team are far too wise to be throwing away such ‘dominance’ without knowing the full ins and outs out doing so.
They have just built one of the most dominant cars in F1 history. One could argue that it’s a mammoth task to beat it, But you don’t simply throw away a championship winning design unless you know for fact your new choices Are equal to or better than what you have currently.
Yes others might have took a step forwards, but even then, it brings a ‘level playing field’ of you don’t have faith in a ‘better’ design.
Could RB have run the RB19 in 2024 and still of been competitive? Absolutely. Would it have won as many races as it did previously? Probably not. Especially if others caught up.
Would RB be brave enough to rock up without side pods? It would be a spectacle if they did - but I cannot see it. If there wasn’t a budget cap, then possibly…. But you have to wonder how many hours upon hours of CFD and development time/budget that would take up in this era of rules.
Mess with the Bull - you get the horns.