Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

Red Bull reveals sidepod update in Bahrain F1 test

Red Bull revealed its latest updates on the final morning of the Bahrain Formula 1 test, with tweaks made to the sidepod design of its RB18.

Red Bull Racing RB18 side detail

Red Bull Racing RB18 side detail

Giorgio Piola

The upgrades are not a dramatic philosophy change for Red Bull, as was seen on the Mercedes car during the first day of the test, but rather a refinement of an already visually disarming solution when compared with last year's design.

The new parts squeeze the bodywork ever closer to the components housed within them.

However, there's a clear swage line that's appeared on the main body of the sidepod that clearly serves an aerodynamic purpose.

This swage line will help to dictate the airflow's passage, with a decided out and downwashing aspect added to the forward portion of the sidepod, whilst the undercut has been reshaped and extended around the flank.

Red Bull Racing RB18 side detail

Red Bull Racing RB18 side detail

Photo by: Giorgio Piola

This additional undercut section will expose more of the floor to the flow that reaches around the side of the car, while its effect is also felt as it reaches back towards the downwashing ramp section at the rear end of the sidepod.

There's also some small geometrical alterations to the upper surface of this section of the sidepod in order that the airflow is driven into the coke bottle region.

This will also have a limited impact on the performance of the cooling outlets just ahead of the rear suspension leg.

Read Also:

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation
Previous article Szafnauer: "Better for all parties" that I left Aston Martin
Next article Can Alpine’s latest F1 personnel shuffle turn the tide?

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe