The new RB19 on display in New York changes so little that it’s hard to distinguish from its predecessor
After the aperitif at the premiere of Haas, who shows his new outfit with some photos, this Friday the presentation season of Formula 1 was opened in all its splendor by the Red Bull team itself, the current world champions and more than favorites for this season 2023. They chose , and it is no coincidence, New York, for an event where they dedicated themselves to making a stamp and showing off the athletes they sponsor, in an event too eternal where they hinted and more promised than they showed.
And it is that the RB19 they taught the media is exactly the same as the RB18. Both the model they had on stage, whose unveiling lasted nearly an hour, and the house-branded images provided to the media are of the same car that was used as a base in 2022. There is little change in the regulations as the major technical leap made in the previous campaign has already left the rails for this locomotive, but as they prefer not to show anything in the face of possible criticism from their rivals .
The lavish presentation in New York is mainly due to the fact that Ford’s entry into Formula 1 was announced just before. The return of the American giant as a motorist from 2026 serves as an excuse for Red Bull to establish its roots on American to make. In fact, they have promised an accolade in every race in the United States, namely Miami, Austin and the highly anticipated GP in Las Vegas. The first even gets a special decoration, designed by fans in collaboration with an artist.
Leaving aside the event, the paraphernalia and the words of Christian Horner as head of the team and drivers led by two-time world champion Max Verstappen, we will have to wait for the pre-season testing in Bahrain to see this RB19 he intends under to take a closer look. to continue in the footsteps of his predecessors.
The little that has changed on the car includes a slight bulge in the side pontoons, which will most likely change during testing at the end of the month, and the repositioning of some decals. The car was already working perfectly, so there is nothing to indicate that the genius of Adrian Newey, who has been working as a freelancer for Red Bull for a few years now, is causing him to burn his head. We will have to see the reaction of their rivals, especially a Mercedes that ended the year on a high and a Ferrari that is starting, with its new management at the helm, as the theoretical big contender to match them.
In his speech, Horner stated what everyone expected. The goal is none other than to repeat the success of 2022 and he sent a message: they work in a team. The murky end of last season, in which Verstappen did not benefit too much from Sergio Pérez in his fight for second place, is still latent in the minds of the managers and the team boss did not hesitate to point out the pillar element in this project .
“We need the union and the effort of Checo Pérez and Max Verstappen together to defend the crown,” he warned. “We are no longer the hunter, now we are the prey and we face a great challenge. It’s going to be a tough season, we expect Ferrari to be really competitive, Mercedes will be there too and I think there will be different teams at the beginning,” Horner thought, without too many headlines in his words, as almost always .
In this line, Verstappen is clear that the record of victories in a season that he achieved last year will not stop him. The ravenous appetite of this authentic Formula 1 cannibal will continue, and he warned his rivals if they think he will comply after winning two titles in a row. I don’t want to stop growing. This is about winning, the goal is always to improve and that’s what I work for,” he said confidently alongside Sergio Pérez, whose challenge will be not to fall too far behind his leader (if he breaks this tacit hierarchy within the structure), as the presentation was also attended by Daniel Ricciardo, a third pilot and luxury reserve. The Mexican pilot cannot afford a mistake, as the veteran ‘Aussie’ is willing to take as little as possible from his seat.
While most of this Friday’s presentation was, in theory, showing the new RB19, Red Bull was very clear that the starring role of its New York debut should be for what its partner will be three years from now: Ford. The legendary American carmaker returns to the grid two decades later, with the aim of being a benchmark again, as before. Not surprisingly, he is the third most successful racing driver in the F1 World Championship, second only to Ferrari and Mercedes, with 13 Drivers’ and 10 Constructors’ titles to his name. With riders of the stature of Jim Clark, Jackie Stewart or Michael Schumacher himself (who gave them their last world title in 1994, with Benetton) as some of their crowns. The blue oval brand arrives as a “technical partner” of Red Bull, which means that little by little it will take over the gap that Honda will gradually leave in the Red Bull Powertrains division. His challenge will be to supervise the development of the engine, both internal combustion engine and electric, the battery, the software, the turbo… In short, the power unit that must keep Red Bull as the leading team.
Source: La Verdad
I am Shawn Partain, a journalist and content creator working for the Today Times Live. I specialize in sports journalism, writing articles that cover major sporting events and news stories. With a passion for storytelling and an eye for detail, I strive to be accurate and insightful in my work.
