Carl Mccoy wrote: ↑13 May 2019, 16:55
The advantage of Mercedes is difficult to explain after the last two seasons. Ferrari could have been wrong at this year's car, but why Red Bull is so far away.
Is it hard to explain though? Ferrari didn't have great aero concepts from 2014-2016. In 2015 Haas start their prep for 2016 entry, they had a close partnership with Ferrari and unlimited testing. THe die cast 100% certain rules for 2017 weren't set till late, but simplified front wings, wider front wings and lower rear wing was known within reason.
Ferrari were by multiple rumours to be running lots of extra aero testing in 2015. By statements like Toto saying well it was in the rules and Ferrari were smart to do it, the FIA put a new rule in to prevent it... they were basically confirmed in many ways to have been running unlimited aero testing in 2015. I said during 2015, I said when it was brought up in 2016, do you waste unlimited testing for the last season aero for the current regulations or to hit the new aero regulation period with a headstart?
Ferrari took a giant leap forward and were at least on par, if not maybe the faster car in both 2017 and 18, their engine took a step but their aero took a huge step forward. For me one of the primary reasons Ferrari were good in 17/18 was 2015 Haas/unlimited aero testing gave them a huge leg up on the 2017 regulation period. With the regulation changes for 2019 and no similar massive testing advantage, also with being actually competitive in 2018 they weren't able to plan/test and divert resources to a 2019 car like they were for the 2017 car. As such to me it's entirely no surprise Ferrari haven't hit the new regulation period brilliant, having also lost Allison in between these regulation changes.
As for Red Bull, Red Bull outside of what was it, 2011, are always a second half of the season team. Newey doesn't seem to be able to test a car brilliantly preseason and needs in season correlation/testing to tweak his cars then in the second half of the season and particularly the final third it's like a different competition.
Last year, the year before, RBR up to around Spa are decent but not really fighting anywhere near the mercs, mostly fighting for a 3rd spot if lucky, then post Monza they are going for wins in Singapore, Japan, USA, Mexico, Brazil.
Do Red Bull have a problem with wind tunnel, do they develop too much in season and simply start their cars aero much later than other teams or does Newey just make such complex cars they take too much tweaking to get to work perfectly while Merc get theirs working pretty optimally pretty damn quickly.
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