The Red Bull team is enduring a tough season despite a strong headstart. The team entered the season hoping for another dominating year, but the rivals soon crushed the dream. Initially, Ferrari, then McLaren, consistently troubled the team. With fewer than ten races to go, Red Bull’s World Title defense is in shambles.
For this reason, the team had to take a step back and reconsider its strategy. The team was ready to use a fan-made livery for the USA and Singapore GP, but weight concerns will now prevent it from being used. The team released an official statement about abandoning the plan for a new livery.
Red Bull Turns Down The Livery Due To Extra Weight Concerns
Red Bull has abandoned its plans for fan-inspired livery takeovers at the Singapore and USA Grands Prix due to concerns about the extra weight added by new paint schemes. The team had initially invited its followers to design bespoke liveries for the British, Singapore, and USA races this season. Winners of the competition would see their designs on the RB20 cars and attend the races as special guests.
The first fan-designed livery was featured at Silverstone earlier this year. However, with the championship battle between McLaren and Ferrari becoming increasingly tight, Red Bull reassessed its plans. During the concept phase for the Singapore livery, it was discovered that the new paint scheme added approximately 1kg of weight to the RB20. Although this weight increase only affected lap times by about 0.03 seconds, the team determined that it could not afford any compromises in performance given the competitive nature of the championship.
As a result, Red Bull has decided to stick with its regular colors for the remainder of the season. The team explained that the added weight from the custom liveries would affect the car’s performance, and thus, they must prioritize making the car as competitive as possible. This decision reflects the broader trend in Formula 1, where teams continually seek to reduce weight and optimize performance, even if it means forgoing marketing opportunities.
Teams Working On “Light Weight Paint” To Counter Livery Issue
Earlier this year, Motorsport.com revealed that F1 series officials are discussing addressing the increasing prevalence of black, unpainted carbon on cars. The FIA’s head of single-seater matters, Nikolas Tombazis, highlighted a key issue: the excessive use of naked carbon due to the weight constraints imposed by paint. This trend has led to an overabundance of black on cars.
To mitigate this, teams have been working on alternative paint solutions and using extremely thin films to minimize weight. The aim is to reduce the amount of paint and, thus the overall weight of the cars while still maintaining their visual appeal. These efforts reflect the ongoing challenge in Formula 1 to balance performance with design constraints.
