Where did Red Bull's pace come from in 2022? | F1 upgrades

The Mystery Behind Red Bull's Pace

As the 2022 Formula One season drew to a close in Abu Dhabi, all eyes were on the battle between Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. But beyond the fight for the driver's championship lurked a deeper question: How did Red Bull unlock so much more pace than their rivals?

The 24k Bull

In the closing stages of the season, Red Bull brought a series of upgrades to their RB18 car that saw them pull well clear of the field. This included a lighter chassis rumored to contain traces of gold - leading some to dub it the "24k bull" in reference to its golden content.

This wasn't just idle speculation - F1 has a cost cap in place, and rumors swirled that Red Bull had exceeded it in their quest for performance. But the team insisted their upgrades were legal, leaving many wondering: where did their speed come from?

Mastering Ground Effect

One of the major regulation changes for 2022 was the reintroduction of "ground effect" - essentially using the shape of the floor and venturi tunnels underneath the car to suck it onto the track for more downforce.

This was always going to favor Adrian Newey - Red Bull's legendary technical director who also pioneered ground effect in the 1980s. As the season went on, Red Bull seemed to unlock more and more potential downforce from their aggressive underfloor design.

The Flexi-Wing Saga

However, outright pace wasn't their only advantage. Red Bull was also embroiled in a row over their rear wing illegally flexing to reduce drag on the straights.

The FIA brought in tougher tests to stop wings bending from round 6 onwards. But by that time, Red Bull had already banked points from races where their flexi-wing likely gave them a speed boost.

Is Red Bull's Advantage Legal?

Red Bull maintained that their improvements stayed within the cost cap and technical regulations all year. Still, their performance over the second half of the season greatly exceeded expectations.

Ultimately, their advantage likely comes from rapid development unlocking areas like ground effect, rather than any single "silver bullet" upgrade.

2023 Regulation Changes

Major regulation changes are now confirmed for 2023, which are likely aimed at reeling in Red Bull's advantage. These include raising the floor edges, removing edge wing elements, and simplifying the floor shape.

Only time will tell if these new rules can prevent another year of Red Bull domination. But with Adrian Newey at the helm, they will surely remain the team to beat.

FAQs

How did Red Bull unlock so much more pace than their rivals in 2022?

Red Bull's pace advantage came from rapid development throughout the year, rather than any single "silver bullet" upgrade. As they unlocked more potential from the ground effect concept, the car's performance improved dramatically.

What was the rumor about Red Bull's "24k bull" chassis?

There was speculation that Red Bull used traces of gold in a lighter chassis introduced late in 2022. This led to the "24k bull" nickname linking the upgrades to the golden content. However, Red Bull maintained their upgrades stayed within the F1 cost cap.

Did Red Bull's rear wing bend illegally in 2022?

Their rear wing came under scrutiny early in 2022 for possibly flexing at high speeds to reduce drag. However, after the FIA brought in tougher tests from round 6 onwards, there were no further legality issues.

How will the 2023 F1 rules aim to reel in Red Bull's advantage?