Red Bull RB20

[hollus]

An interesting angle on the intakes around the cockpit. They are literally catching the "spill" from that "inter.mx" panel and its rule mandated, not very aerodynamic shape.

[AR3-GP]

Benetton BT188 inlets (similar in shape).

[Vanja #66]

Designed by Rory Byrne and driven by Johnny Herbert

To be fair, it started with B186 and ended with B189

[Farnborough]

Pull rod front suspension too

Hollus cockpit image prompted me with this, watching cool down lap and with MV going round the hairpin .... there was a long additional ? lever on backside of his steering wheel (would be at about 5 o'clock to driver view) this in addition to gear/clutch paddles, also clear in that view of wheel.

I've not previously seen, well not in such detail, that particular installation and wondered exactly what its for.

[chrisc90]

Pull rod front suspension too

Hollus cockpit image prompted me with this, watching cool down lap and with MV going round the hairpin .... there was a long additional ? lever on backside of his steering wheel (would be at about 5 o'clock to driver view) this in addition to gear/clutch paddles, also clear in that view of wheel.

I've not previously seen, well not in such detail, that particular installation and wondered exactly what its for.

Wonder if it’s related to the ‘tools’ we hear GP and Max mentioning at numerous points in the race.
Maybe something like a ERS override or something?

[marcel171281]

Pull rod front suspension too

Hollus cockpit image prompted me with this, watching cool down lap and with MV going round the hairpin .... there was a long additional ? lever on backside of his steering wheel (would be at about 5 o'clock to driver view) this in addition to gear/clutch paddles, also clear in that view of wheel.

I've not previously seen, well not in such detail, that particular installation and wondered exactly what its for.

Wonder if it’s related to the ‘tools’ we hear GP and Max mentioning at numerous points in the race.
Maybe something like a ERS override or something?

Multiple things. One of the flaps is DRS activation, another is the overtake (ERS mode override). There are also pull- and push toggles which have preset diff, brake balance settings etc to, for instance, isolate the balance in some corners from other parts of the track. There is also a red button on the front of the steering wheels that can be programmed to do the same. The way these toggle/buttons are programmed can be changed by the driver as well (these are the radio messages about display this, position that, etc. from GP).

[Waz]

Pull rod front suspension too

Hollus cockpit image prompted me with this, watching cool down lap and with MV going round the hairpin .... there was a long additional ? lever on backside of his steering wheel (would be at about 5 o'clock to driver view) this in addition to gear/clutch paddles, also clear in that view of wheel.

I've not previously seen, well not in such detail, that particular installation and wondered exactly what its for.

Not sure if it was ever banned, but I remember McLaren in 2008 had a torque limiter paddle on the steering wheel, which helped enormously in slow corners and a wet track.

I wonder if something like that is useful now though?

[Stu]

Pull rod front suspension too

Hollus cockpit image prompted me with this, watching cool down lap and with MV going round the hairpin .... there was a long additional ? lever on backside of his steering wheel (would be at about 5 o'clock to driver view) this in addition to gear/clutch paddles, also clear in that view of wheel.

I've not previously seen, well not in such detail, that particular installation and wondered exactly what its for.

I’d assumed that it was for clutch operation, a longer lever giving more precise inputs into the system.

Or maybe it is for throttle control???

[stewie325]

Pull rod front suspension too

Hollus cockpit image prompted me with this, watching cool down lap and with MV going round the hairpin .... there was a long additional ? lever on backside of his steering wheel (would be at about 5 o'clock to driver view) this in addition to gear/clutch paddles, also clear in that view of wheel.

I've not previously seen, well not in such detail, that particular installation and wondered exactly what its for.

I’d assumed that it was for clutch operation, a longer lever giving more precise inputs into the system.

Or maybe it is for throttle control???

A switch to alter the path air takes between their new cooling tunnel network, stalling the rear wing

[Vanja #66]

Fomula Passion and Carlo Platella spotted some other differences with RB20 floor in Suzuka. I think I see one more thing, will post if confirmed. Nope, on the outside there's only the change to topside geometry around SIS tube.

[Sergej]

According to you, is it possible that RB will try to close the horizontal sidepod inlet ? their developing path seems to be going in the direction of a progressively reduction of sidepod inlet area (this since last year though), accordingly reshuffling all the cooling system, so why not to put this to the extreme and completely remove the inlet ? they would be left with only the vertical inlet (somehow like zero pod Merc, but with a completely different aero concept), plus all the other inlet around the cockpit....too extreme ? not feasible ?

After all Newey said this around Bahrain GP: “It is going to look very different after race seven. We got a big upgrade coming”. What will be this "very different" looking car ?

[AR3-GP]

According to you, is it possible that RB will try to close the horizontal sidepod inlet ? their developing path seems to be going in the direction of a progressively reduction of sidepod inlet area (this since last year though), accordingly reshuffling all the cooling system, so why not to put this to the extreme and completely remove the inlet ? they would be left with only the vertical inlet (somehow like zero pod Merc, but with a completely different aero concept), plus all the other inlet around the cockpit....too extreme ? not feasible ?

After all Newey said this around Bahrain GP: “It is going to look very different after race seven. We got a big upgrade coming”. What will be this "very different" looking car ?

This is certainly a good hunch. Adrian Newey said that the development of the RB20 would continue along the direction they have been pursuing since 2022. As we have seen, the primary sidepod inlet gets smaller and smaller.

However, they just changed the inlet at Japan. It doesn't make sense to me that they would change it again 3 races later unless there some very convenient timing to line up the Japan update with the usable life cycle of parts from the start of the season.

[Paa]

This is certainly a good hunch. Adrian Newey said that the development of the RB20 would continue along the direction they have been pursuing since 2022. As we have seen, the primary sidepod inlet gets smaller and smaller.

However, they just changed the inlet at Japan. It doesn't make sense to me that they would change it again 3 races later unless there some very convenient timing to line up the Japan update with the usable life cycle of parts from the start of the season.

It makes sense for me that they rather want to make this gradually by taking several smaller steps, than to have one big cut in Imola.
Small adjustment, then 3-4 races to collect data and verify. If they see it's safe and working, small step again, rinse and repeat.
There is no push right now to take big risks for fat gains.

[Sergej]

Yeah I agree, their path is clearly to make small steps and changes and adapt their cooling system accordingly making sure everything is working as expected (I think there is also a benefit with limited CFD hours in this, cooling system development is not limited in CFD hours so there is much space to experiment in this aspect), so changing again the inlet after only three races could seem a bit rushed.

Question is how many steps are we far from the final iteration (maybe not many? inlets are very small now!) and can this possibly be a total closure of them.

[SiLo]

Yeah I agree, their path is clearly to make small steps and changes and adapt their cooling system accordingly making sure everything is working as expected (I think there is also a benefit with limited CFD hours in this, cooling system development is not limited in CFD hours so there is much space to experiment in this aspect), so changing again the inlet after only three races could seem a bit rushed.

Question is how many steps are we far from the final iteration (maybe not many? inlets are very small now!) and can this possibly be a total closure of them.

I think unless it was planned almost before the season, no team can actually afford to make big steps and jumps anymore. It's all going to be small, iterative changes.