Red Bull’s 2023 Formula 1 car has finally been seen in public for the first time, after the team went to great lengths to keep its design under wraps.
The Milton Keynes-based team did a launch of the RB19 in New York earlier this month, but only unveiled a new version of an updated version of last season’s RB18.
The new car then completed a private shakedown test at Silverstone, but Red Bull restricted the images that were released from the promotional day.
Only blurry videos of the RB19 were distributed, and spy images of the car from spectators at the track weren’t clear enough to reveal too many details about the car.
But as F1 testing got under way on Thursday morning at the Bahrain circuit, the new RB19 finally emerged shortly before the start of the race.
The car features very refined aerodynamics, with clear changes to the shape of the nose, sides and engine cover, including the airbox.
The RB19 is much more of an evolution of the 2022 car compared to the step other teams have taken.
It has a wider nose tip, but remains connected to the second front wing element like the RB18.
The sides and engine cover retain last year’s DNA, but have been refined.
The body has been stretched closer to create a much deeper cutout in the side, which reaches below the center section towards the base of the wash ramp.
The ground edge architecture has been completely rewritten, with interestingly shaped fins in front of an elongated edge wing, which tapers to the ground ahead of the rear tire.
Red Bull enter 2023 as the reigning world champion team, after dominating the title battle last year.
Max Verstappen claimed his second consecutive crown, while Red Bull secured their first constructors’ championship in the turbo-hybrid era. His last success had already arrived in 2013.
Despite having the best car last season, Red Bull have not had a completely quiet winter, with the team being penalized for breaching the 2021 cost cap.
It received a $7 million fine and a 10 percent reduction in its aerodynamic testing allowance for its overspending.
Although rivals believe the impact of the change will be minimal, Red Bull itself fears it could do a lot of damage.
Speaking at the launch about the potential downside of the restriction, team boss Christian Horner said: “We’re doing the best we can with what we’ve got.
“The team had to adapt to the handicap we have. They have done a wonderful job in doing so.
“Is it enough? We’ll know in a couple of weeks [in Bahrain testing and the first round of the season] as a starting point.
“Without a doubt, it is a major handicap that we carry for most of the year.
Red Bull has an unchanged driver line-up, with Sergio Perez still in the squad alongside Verstappen.
