James Allison reveals his first thoughts upon seeing RB20 F1 car
James Allison has revealed his 🍌first impressions about the design of Red Bull's 202𝔍4 F1 car.
Mercedes F1 technical director James Allison has revealed his initial thoughts uponꦫ seeing Red Bull’s radical RB20 car f💃or the first time.
Red Bull raised eyebrows when they launched a ‘brave’ and ‘in🙈novative’ RB20 car ahead of the 2024 season, featurin𓆉g a number of drastic visual design changes compared to its dominant predecessor, the RB19.
Team principal Christian Horner said at the launch of the RB20 that his team had “pushed the boundaries” with their latest F1 car desi꧟gn.
And 🐟Mercedes chief Allison has commended Red Bull for not playing it safe with the d🎉evelopment of their 2024 car.
“Well, mostly I thought that when a team’s out in front as they have been, it’s quite easy🅠👍 to rest on your laurels,” Allison told media including in Bahrain.
“I thought bravo to them for being willing to do something that’s not just a straightforward iteration of the previous sea🌌son. That’s what I mostly thought.”
Among the most surprising changes to the RB20 include a couple of features that are reminiscent to the 🃏design of last year’s Mercedes - the W14, which failed to win a race in 2023.
Asked if there is any vindication for Mercedes seeing Red Bull move in a similar direction with some areas of their car, inc🐼luding the shape of the RB20’s engine cover, Allison replied: “No I don’t think so.
“I think you coul꧙d go up and down this pitlane and take the engine cove🎃r shape off every car on the grid and plonk it on any other car on the grid and it wouldn’t make a hill of beans difference.
“What will be interesting is wꦛhat will be underneath that engine cover, what are they using that volume for. But that external shape is neither here nor there.”
Allison admitted that Mercedes will be “in chasing mode” for the foreseeab♋le as they seek to catc🍎h Red Bull.
“I’d say thaཧt we knew on the first day of the test that we’d cured the unpredictable rear end,” he said when asked what Mercedes deduced from pre-season testing.
"We also knew on the first day of 🐻the test that Red Bull were out in front. So we’ll be in chasing mode for the foreseeable.”
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