Red Bull Racing’s 2024 F1 season has been marred by instability and performance issues that are deep rooted in RB20’s design concept. The car has witnessed a drop in performance since the Australian Grand Prix and the upgrades introduced in Hungary Grand Prix made the car even more slower and unpredictable.
Defending world champion, Max Verstappen, meanwhile, lambasted Red Bull for their flawed strategy and criticised the setup flaws of the RB20 as well. Having said that, F1 pundit Peter Windsor recently shared a social media post which exposed the cross braking configuration used by RB that were allegedly deemed illegal by FIA.
Did Red Bull Cheat With Its Braking Set Up This Season?
Former Ferrari boss and current Formula 1 commentator Peter Windsor has stirred up discussion in the F1 community by suggesting that Red Bull Racing has been exploiting a loophole while designing the braking setup. The issues with the brakes first arose when Max Verstappen had to retire at the Australian Grand Prix after his brakes burst into flames in the pitlane. However, the Brembo automotive parts manufacturing company clarified that the braking issues were a result of a flawed setup and not because of the degraded quality of the components they supplied. Meanwhile, in the latest tweet, Peter Windsor claimed that RB tricked FIA into instilling a ‘cross-brake inertia valve’ that would assist in steering into a corner.
However, Windsor further added that FIA caught wind of the illegality, and hence, Red Bull was asked to get rid of the setup at the Miami Grand Prix. Notably, Peter Windsor’s accusations come in the backdrop of mid-season car design regulations changes enforced by FIA, which will come into effect from the Dutch Grand Prix. F1 tech guru Craig Scarborough also added that the drink-based company used the brakes to steer the car, which is illegal, and this practice has been allegedly going on since the RB20 was initially designed in Milton Keynes. It is also alleged that this asymmetric configuration was introduced to support Max Verstappen’s driving style, as he prefers a car that oversteers. Having said that, Red Bull Racing is yet to issue a statement on the allegations, and hopefully, following the resumption of the second half, the team will let out a word on the same.
RB Mechanic Hits Out At Peter Windsor’s Viral Claim
Peter Windsor accused Red Bull Racing of using illegal means to set up an asymmetric brake system, which was eventually deemed illegal by FIA. However, the drink-based outfit’s mechanic, Calum Nicholas, responded to the allegations and deemed it ‘bullsh*t.” “I’ve been building the car for the last 14 races, he [Scarborough] hasn’t,” Nicholas said.
Notably, Red Bull seniors are yet to react to the new allegations. It has been reported that after FIA clamped down on the illegal brake set up, the team witnessed drop in performance. Having said that, the recent speculations will only spice things up when the second half of the 2024 F1 season resumes next week with the Dutch Grand Prix.
Stay tuned with Sports News International for more such updates about your favorite F1 team