Red Bull foresees rivals struggling to emulate RB19's floor design until Japanese Grand Prix

Red Bull chief engineer Paul Monaghan anticipates that rival Formula 1 teams will face challenges in replicating the floor design of their RB19 until the Japanese Grand Prix.

The RB19 has established its dominance with seven consecutive wins, including Max Verstappen's remarkable 24-second triumph over Lewis Hamilton at the Spanish Grand Prix.

The key advantage of the RB19 lies in its floor and underside, which was partially revealed when Sergio Perez's car was removed by a crane following his crash during Monaco qualifying. Red Bull expressed displeasure at this incident but remains confident that simply observing the floor of the car does not guarantee immediate replication.

"It's not ideal, we don't hoist our car up like that, but it has occurred, and we will move forward," stated Monaghan in his conversation with the media. "However, there is a delay between people observing it, implementing it on their car, and actually gaining speed from it."

Monaghan emphasized the importance of proper integration rather than a mere imitation: "An uninformed replica won't necessarily result in improved performance. It needs to be integrated. The floor geometry is a crucial factor for these cars."

He reminded everyone that working with floors is not a novel experience: "Let's not forget that people carry floors in and out of garages, lifting the front of the cars. It's not the first time."

Red Bull have a well-established development plan to enhance their speed, and Monaghan stressed the significance of adhering to it. "If we disrupt someone else's development plan, it will likely increase the time it takes for them to implement changes on their car," he explained. "Around the time of the Japanese Grand Prix, we will assess where everyone stands, but we must remain disciplined and committed to our development path."

Acknowledging Red Bull's dominant position, Monaghan mentioned their historical expertise in the ground effects era of F1 and their strong prospects for clinching both championships in 2023. Over time, many designs have gravitated towards the Red Bull philosophy, a trend Monaghan sees as a form of flattery.

"It's a flattering gesture, isn't it?" Monaghan commented. "If we go back to 2009, 2010, 2011, or even 2014, we were winning races with a package similar to Mercedes'. We are not exempt from doing the same. Others will examine our car and seek influence from it if they believe it will make them faster. It's perfectly fine."

Monaghan recalled instances where other teams emulated Red Bull's designs: "Remember McLaren in 2011? They initially struggled, but once their car featured exhausts that closely resembled ours, it gained significant speed. This has been happening for years and will continue to level the playing field. After all, there are no copyrights, are there? I take it as a compliment, which is quite nice."

The upcoming Formula 1 event is the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal, scheduled to take place from June 16 to 18.