Analyst Peter Windsor believes the FIA ​​has given Red Bull Racing designer Adrian Newey the green light with the introduction of the new technical regulations in 2022, with ground effect once again playing a key role in Formula 1. Windsor points out In addition, overtaking has become easy since 2022, a change that Red Bull gratefully takes advantage of on Sundays.
Before Windsor answered questions from followers in his most recent livestream on YouTube, the Formula 1 journalist first discussed the latest news and rumors in the premier class of motorsport. ‘I’m looking forward to going to Madrid next Tuesday. I have received an invitation to a press conference where Stefano Domenicali (Formula 1 CEO, ed.) will also be present,” opens the 71-year-old Briton, who grew up in Australia.
‘There were already some rumors last year that the Spanish Grand Prix might be moved to Madrid, and that there would be a street race there, and now there is a press conference coming up. The Grand Prix may go back to Madrid, or we may get two Spanish Grands Prix,” Windsor said. According to rumors, the race in Madrid would take place from 2026, while Barcelona has a contract until 2025.
Red Bull does not have to fear FIA interventions
Windsor then started answering questions from followers, also stating that the FIA ​​could possibly intervene if Red Bull is as dominant again in 2024 as it was in 2023. “I don’t think so,” says Windsor. ‘Liberty Media is already working on what they can do to make it more exciting. That’s why we have sprint races and they talk about reverse grids and things like that. In addition, they still have DRS zones, even though the cars can now follow each other much better than with the old regulations. They do everything they can because they are afraid that racing could become too boring.’
FIA gives all lights green for Newey
However, Windsor does not expect interventions specifically aimed at Red Bull Racing and Max Verstappen. ‘They introduced these rules to make it more exciting, to make overtaking easier and to make it easier to follow those in front. What they didn’t realize was that they were playing hugely into Adrian Newey’s hands by forcing everyone to design a ground effect car, because Newey is the only designer or aerodynamicist who really knew what he was doing, and still knows what he’s doing. . The FIA ​​didn’t realize that.’
Newey studied ground effect as a final project of his studies, and is considered a specialist in this field. It was therefore not entirely surprising that Red Bull was one of the few teams not really bothered by porpoising, the bouncing of the car on the asphalt on the straights. Red Bull appeared to have hit the nail on the head, and more and more other teams are now following the Red Bull philosophy with their own cars.
An additional plus for Red Bull, according to Windsor, is that qualifying is no longer as important as before. “By coming up with these rules, which make overtaking easier, they have enabled Red Bull to build a car that is one second faster than the rest everywhere,” Windsor exaggerates slightly. ‘It shows that you shouldn’t try to fix things unless they really don’t work. It wasn’t that we needed more overtaking at all.’
