Red Bull’s technical director, Pierre Waché, admitted that McLaren and Ferrari managed to take advantage of an aero-mechanical trick.
Red Bull’s 2024 Formula 1 season experienced many ups and downs, including a significant technical crisis after the Imola GP. From that point, the Anglo-Austrian team struggled with car balance, with only Verstappen able to mitigate the issues. At the end of the season, speaking to *The Race*, Pierre Waché admitted that McLaren and Ferrari capitalized on a trick that Red Bull hadn’t considered.
Compared to 2023, Red Bull lost its technical edge that had emerged with the RB19. The RB20 still proved effective, especially in Max Verstappen’s hands, on high-speed circuits. However, the exponential growth of McLaren and Ferrari overshadowed the performance of the Milton Keynes car.
When the season reached Miami, McLaren unveiled the true MCL38, featuring numerous small aerodynamic adjustments. These optimizations improved the car’s airflow without compromising or destabilizing its aero-mechanical balance. This work, led by Rob Marshall, was completed by late June at the Austrian GP, where the MCL38 introduced a revolutionary front wing.
This front wing significantly increased flexibility under aerodynamic load, yielding various advantages. While maintaining high downforce levels, the flexing flaps at high speeds reduced drag. Additionally, the presence of “curled” elements in the elbow area enhanced the outwash effect, directing airflow beyond the front wheels and improving overall efficiency.
Pierre Waché explains where Red Bull fell short compared to McLaren and Ferrari
Ferrari adopted a similar aerodynamic concept with the wing introduced in Singapore, which helped balance the SF-24. This shifted the aerodynamic center of gravity slightly forward, improving the car’s front-end responsiveness. It was a trick Red Bull couldn’t replicate on the RB20, partly due to multiple incidents and partly because they were trying to understand where balance had been lost.
“We were able to rebalance the car through other means, while other teams used front wing deflection. To achieve a different aerodynamic balance based on speed, certain suspension movements are required, and the softer the suspension, the better. This is good for balance but perhaps not for downforce. So, the front wing allowed them to rebalance a much stiffer suspension,” concluded the Frenchman.
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