Adrian Newey speaks about the 2012 and 2014 regulations
In an interview with Autosport, Adrian Newey admits that the 2012 regulations and their various clarifications during the season greatly affected the performance of the RB8. On the other hand, the Red Bull technical director shares his thoughts on the 2014 regulations, which, according to him, favor engines over aerodynamics.
Almost unanimously, the Formula 1 microcosm believes that most of the regulation changes between 2011 and 2012 were solely aimed at bringing Red Bull back into the pack rather than far ahead as they were last year. Whether this is the case or not, two areas where the Austrian team was at the forefront, exhaust blowing and wing flexibility, have seen the associated regulations tightened for the current season.
What caused difficulties, initially suspected, which Adrian Newey, the technical director of the Milton Keynes team, confirmed in an interview with Autosport: « It’s rather what we feared before the start of the season. Having explored blowing techniques intensively for two seasons and seeing this removed at the same time as more flexible wings cost us a lot. [It affected us] probably more than others since we had exploited these techniques for longer. Understanding what we had to do to get back on track took us time. »
As a result, the season’s start for the double titleholders has been challenging. In addition to performances that have actually been below expectations compared to 2011, other advantages over the competition, stemming from different interpretations of the regulations, have been eliminated by the FIA during the season. The most recent intervention concerns the engine mappings.
Even though, despite these adventures, Red Bull is at the top of the constructors’ standings, Adrian Newey confirms that, again, his team’s performances have been affected, and hints that the response to this latest controversy has not yet taken place on the track: « Suddenly, we were faced with a clarification that was a different interpretation than ours. This is where we stand, and we must get back to work and take a fresh look. »
In any case, it is already time for the teams to turn their attention to 2014, where the regulations will take a new turn with the introduction of turbocharged V6 engines, a doubling of the KERS capacity, and the introduction of HERS (Heat Energy Recovery System, a system coupled with the turbo that will recover energy from exhaust gases). Red Bull is no exception, and leading the charge is, of course, Adrian Newey, who will outline the direction of what should be called the RB10.
However, according to him, the predominant factor in performance will no longer be in his hands, as it concerns the propulsion of the single-seater, both in terms of the V6 and the energy recovery systems: In 2014, there will be variations in engine performances. I say engine in the sense of power unit, not just the combustion engine, it also includes the different energy recovery systems attached to it. It is possible that one manufacturer could do much better than the others, to the point where we could see the cars of this manufacturer at the front of the grid. We could have an engine manufacturers’ championship.
Regarding aerodynamics, it should be the opposite effect, as the regulations are becoming increasingly restrictive: « The chassis rules in terms of aerodynamics are an even more restricted version of what we already have. The engine installation is obviously a point that teams will work on with their engine manufacturers. It remains to be seen if someone will come up with something new in this area and gain an advantage. »
