F1 | Red Bull copies Ferrari: there is a vertical flap similar to the Cobra

Red Bull copies Ferrari. The Milton Keynes team in the package of innovations that it introduced at Zandvoort has taken up an aerodynamic concept that is typical of the SF-24: on the sides of the attachment of the Halo to the chassis, above the air intake that feeds the service radiators, a flow deviator has appeared that is similar to that profile that we had nicknamed Cobra, while the small horizontal flap attached to the safety protection has disappeared.

The Milton Keynes team is working tirelessly to revise the flow of air around the cockpit: breaking the cooling system into four separate stages has made the RB20 hardware very complicated and managing the temperatures of the Honda power unit and the hybrid’s ancillaries has been much more complicated than expected.

Pierre Waché decided for the Dutch GP to use the engine cover without the bazookas, resuming the high aerodynamic load bodywork that had made its debut in Hungary only with Max Verstappen. The solution has now been extended to the two drivers, even if the design of the cover and the gills for the hot air outlet have been revised compared to the Hungaroring with a greater tapering of the whole on the body of the mechanics which however leads to having a… more visible megaphone at the tail.

RB20 rear view mirror mounts revised

Photo by: George Piola

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In the study of the flow trend also with the support of the mirrors: on the RB20 the flow conveyor that extended towards the rear under the rear-view mirror has disappeared, while the horizontal stay that protrudes from the cockpit and attaches to the mirror with an L-shaped curvature that has taken the shape of a small profile.

We are talking about micro-aerodynamic developments that demonstrate the care with which the flows are studied and directed towards the pursuit of performance. Red Bull, however, has not yet defined what can be defined as a standard for the RB20: in addition to modifying the engine cover according to the tracks, there is also an alternation of the front wings and noses.

Red Bull RB20: Old nose for Verstappen

Photo by: George Piola

Red Bull RB20: Old nose for Perez

Photo by: George Piola

If Verstappen has the new version of the nose at Zandvoort that is more tapered, Perez insists on the old one that is more square. These are uncertainties that were unthinkable in previous years, but they highlight the climate within the world champion team after Adrian Newey made his exit official…