RB16B to undergo major change: rear now resembles Mercedes

24 February 2021 at 11:15

Last update 24 February 2021 at 13:57

GPblog.com

Red Bull Racing presented the new RB16B on Tuesday and at first glance there didn't seem to be much new to see. However, Craig Scarborough explains in a Peter Windsor video that there is more to it than meets the eye.

The RB16B is an update of the RB16 from 2020. This is not surprising, as teams are allowed to make very few changes to the car. Most of the parts will have to be re-used in 2021, so Red Bull Racing decided to skip the RB17. This season is an update and in 2022 we will see the RB18.

Yet an improvement at Red Bull

The RB16B was presented by Red Bull on Tuesday, which was a bit of a disappointment for the fans. The livery was pretty much the same as that of 2020, and the car also looked largely the same as that of 2020. Should Max Verstappen have a shot at the world title with this? However, according to Scarborough, there was more to see than appeared.

In a video from Windsor and also on his own Twitter channel, Scarborough shows that Red Bull's rear suspension has been modified. In doing so, it chooses to follow a route already taken by Mercedes in 2020 and with this, Red Bull hopes to take another step forward. How far this upgrade takes Red Bull, will become clear in 2021.

Red Bull #F1 look to have followed Merc's 2020 reversed suspension set up on the #RB16B.
The lower elements of wishbone and trackrod have been swapped, which gives an aero benefit.
In these pics you see the reversed set up. pic.twitter.com/Feu9y30ObE
— Craig Scarborough (@ScarbsTech) February 23, 2021