Newey: “If we’re smart, the penalty won’t make a big difference”

Months ago, after knowing the sanction of red bull For exceeding the budget limit in 2021, the energy drink group highlighted how much the penalty for reducing the time available in the wind tunnel and simulations could hurt them. CFDs for building his 2023 car. However, his great aerodynamic engineer, Adrian Newleyone of the teachers of this sport, is considering whether the Milton Keynes perform well, they will win again despite this added complication.

Red Bull, as the 2022 champion team, already has less time than the others within the ‘aerodynamic handicap’ regulations, which aim to equalize things between the big and small by giving more time of simulation and wind tunnel on the worst team from last year . red bull He has 70% of the time, but the penalty is 10%, that is, a real penalty of 7% of the time that leaves him with 63% for the whole season, far from Ferrari, which as the second classified is will have 75%. time available for these important tasks.

“Reduced wind tunnel testing means we can test fewer different parts, fewer different ideas”Newey said in a video posted by Red Bull. “But if we’re really smart and always put the right things in, then of course it won’t make a big difference.”

However, he considers that his closest rivals, Ferrari and Mercedes, will present a greater battle than in 2022, a course where Red Bull destroyed the superiority of his car in the second half of the year.

“Ferrari will not rest. They will fix what their weak spots are. They had some reliability issues and obviously made some mistakes in the pits. So they will come back soon. And obviously, It saw Mercedes start with a car slightly off the speed and evolve to win the penultimate race. So we knew they were going to be there. So it’s definitely going to be a tough year.”Newey declared