Let’s make a poll; which Formula One team do you think will win this year? Undoubtedly, the one name that first came to your mind is not Mercedes, not Ferrari but Red Bull. Looking at the way Red Bull has already started dominating in Bahrain during the pre-season test, it is just enough for you all to predict the safest option. Just like the previous year, or even much better, the team has started the 2023 F1 season with a bang.
The three days of RB19’s running in Sakhir went nearly perfectly for Red Bull; they barely needed some changes in the car. On the other hand, its rival Mercedes just started facing issues already. Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez remained the fastest drivers in each session. Meanwhile, one may ask, what is the reason behind Red Bull’s dominance so early, even before the season began? What is the key point that made the RB19 successful? The answer given by Auto Moto und Sport explains it all.
The key reason that makes Red Bull unique from everyone that helps them dominate so early is that “Red Bull is ten millimeters lower than other teams. And if we drove that low, the underbody would break,” said one of the sources from Mercedes to the AMUS. When you drive close to the ground, you develop more downforce in your car. As a result, you become quick automatically.
Red Bull started reigning in the 2022 F1 season after a few of the initial races. They won 17 races and a double championship. On the other hand, Mercedes barely survived in the front of the grid. What was the difference between Mercedes W13 and Red Bull’s RB18 last year? The reason why Mercedes had to struggle so much was the unexpected outcome of the porpoising issue. They tried to drive lower near the ground, but the result came as a bouncing problem, and the airflow became unstable. In this, Red Bull was a master of luck; they tried driving 10 millimeters lower and succeeded with the master plan.
Aston Martin Has The Same Key To Success As Red Bull
Meanwhile, this year, in 2023, when Mercedes was supposed to bring the most substantial comeback with their W14, we can see not them but Aston Martin emerging perfect for that. The key reason that makes Red Bull cars the best these days is adopted by Aston Martin also.
Replacing Sebastian Vettel with Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin had a good car test in Bahrain last week. They were a lot better than Mercedes and Ferrari. The AMR23 is somehow very much similar to Red Bull. Just like the Mercedes source said if we drove that lower to the ground, our car would break underneath. But if you manage to handle it carefully, you are a champion already. This is what Aston Martin did; they are perfectly driving at a lower ride height without facing porpoising issues. So this year, a very unexpected battle may come; not only Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc & Lewis Hamilton, Alonso Fernando too will step in the fight for the 2023 championship.