The 2019 design changes won’t make much difference, but will add extra costs, says Red Bull motorsport boss Helmut Marko after an early report indicated no improvement in dirty air problems.
To promote close wheel to wheel battles, Formula 1 has promoted new aero regulations for next year. The changes include a simplified front wing and a wider and deeper rear wing.
But according to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, the results of simulations done by different teams show the figures are not matching what F1 expected.
AMU’s most respected voice Tobi Grüner took to Twitter to say: “F1 teams already reached 2018 downforce levels in 2019 CFD simulations – despite new front wing regulations,”
“Red Bull stating additional costs of 15m Euro, suspecting it will have zero effect on overtaking.”
After looking at the preliminary numbers from the CFD simulations, Marko confirmed the news.
“Our simulations show that nothing changes. Overtaking is just as difficult. The whole exercise just costs us money.”
He also suspected the new front wing could easily get damaged during the wheel to wheel racing.
“We can’t do a shot in the dark like this again,” Marko insisted.
Marko’s concerns were echoes by Toro Rosso boss Franz Tost.
“I discussed it with the people in the wind tunnel and they do not believe overtaking will become much easier,” said Tost.
“I think at the beginning of next season the teams will have reached a similar level of downforce as now.”
When F1 came up with the idea earlier this year, Red Bull Racing’s Christian Horner had warned it would be an expensive and futile exercise. And now we know his suspicions were well founded.
“We talk about costs and being responsible, what’s been introduced is a completely new concept, a completely new car that will cost millions and millions of pounds,” he said.
“I just find it frustrating that decisions are made on zero evidence or zero conclusions, on theories and the burden of costs is passed onto the teams.
“Is it going to guarantee that the cars can follow closer next year? Probably not.”
