Red Bull's weighty triumph: The RB19's 20kg slim-down behind dominant 2023 season

Team boss Christian Horner revealed the secret to their unrivalled success, attributing it to a substantial 20kg weight reduction in their RB19 compared to its 2022 predecessor.

Following their dual championship victory in 2022, Red Bull secured an extraordinary season in 2023, clinching 21 out of 22 Grand Prix and five out of six Sprint wins. The team wrapped up the season with a historic first-ever one-two finish in the Drivers' championship, accumulating an impressive 860 championship points.

The RB19 has earned its place among the legends of Formula 1, mentioned in the same breath as iconic cars like McLaren's MP4/4 (1988), Ferrari's F2004, and Mercedes' 2020 W11. Horner shed light on the key factor behind their near clean-sweep of victories—the significant weight reduction achieved during the car's evolution.

Horner explained, "What you have to remember is that with the RB19, there were a large number of components that came from the RB18: gearbox, a large percentage of the suspension, and half of the chassis. It was effectively a cut-and-shut for this year."

He continued, emphasizing the pivotal role played by shedding excess weight, "The most significant thing that we were able to address was the weight. We managed to get 20 kilos out of the car coming into this year and tidy up some of the imperfections."

Horner highlighted the challenges faced during the transition from the 2021 championship battle to the 2022 car, stating, "We were so late going on to the new regs in 2021, because of that championship battle, that the car in 2022 was a bit on the chunky side."

The success of the RB19 was not attributed to a single area of improvement, but rather a collective effort towards marginal gains in all aspects. "It was not one specific area that you could take the weight off. It was just marginal gains in all areas. I think that was probably the fundamental difference between the 2022 car and the 2023 car," Horner explained.

As the current 2023 F1 season concludes, teams and drivers are on a well-deserved break until the new year. The anticipation builds for the 2024 season, which kicks off with official F1 pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir from February 23 to 25. The motorsport world eagerly awaits the next chapter in Red Bull's pursuit of excellence.

 

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