Red Bull completely dominated the 2023 F1 season, emerging victorious in all races except for the Singapore GP, which was won by Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz. Their RB19 car was undoubtedly the best in the field.
However, the 2024 season proved that Red Bull was not resting on their laurels. As their competitors scrambled to imitate their car design, Red Bull took a radical approach and stunned the F1 paddock with their innovative sidepod design, featuring vertical inlets and a striking undercut.
The surprise was not limited to Red Bull’s rivals; their partners Honda were also taken aback when asked to make changes to the power unit for the RB20’s design. The President of Honda Racing Corporation, in an interview with Motorsport.com, shed some light on their collaboration with Red Bull during the development of the RB20.
He expressed his astonishment, saying, “We were very surprised to see the extent of the changes made for the RB20. Despite winning 21 out of 22 races together last year, Red Bull still decided to change the concept. It’s truly unbelievable! They made numerous requests to adapt our engine to the new concept, and we were taken aback when we saw the RB20 in person.”
While the changes involved revising mounting points and relocating radiators, among other modifications, Honda focused on enhancing the reliability of their power unit. Unlike performance enhancements, reliability improvements are permitted under the current engine freeze regulations.
The President emphasized, “Although we cannot increase the power due to the engine freeze, we can adapt the engine to fit the new car. Additionally, we can work on improving the engine’s reliability. That’s what we focused on during the past winter. This allowed Red Bull more flexibility in their design and aerodynamic concept, enabling them to change the position of the oil coolers, radiators, and more.”
He further explained, “Last year, we faced some risks of damaging the power unit, although it didn’t turn into significant issues in the end. However, we always aim to minimize any risks. That’s why we made our best efforts to further enhance the engine’s reliability for this year.”
Looking ahead, Honda will partner with Aston Martin in 2026, and Watanabe recently stated that they are targeting a Title challenge with the advent of the new regulations.