Tech Analysis: Red Bull RB3

Since design superstar Adrian Newey joined Red Bull in 2006, the technical department has been largely focused on the development of the new RB3 machine. And, while the RB2 was penned by ex-Renault man Mark Smith and featured some inspiration from Renault, the latest offering it clearly very much created under the guidance of ex McLaren man Newey.

While the car is not an exact replica of a McLaren, it predictably features many, many references to recent McLaren designs, so much so that it is very difficult to compare the car to its predecessors down the Red Bull and Jaguar lineage. From its hooked nose to its twin keel, from its Renault engine to its efficiently cooled sidepods, the car is all new.

Newey has modelled the aerodynamics along contemporary themes, somewhat simplified in some areas although some complexity will no doubt be added as Ben Agathangelou's wind tunnel programme catches up from a late start back in June 2006.

The distinctive hooked nose leads back to the combined keel and turning vane © Scarborough (Click image to enlarge)

Right from the front, the RB3 is distinctive. It features a three-element front wing and a eye-catching wide nose, which hooks down over the wing. In side profile the nose features a double curve, one drooping over the wing and the other returning the nosecone to the shape of the monocoque. It would seem the nose shape splits the wake of the wing and sends it neatly around the sides of the monocoque.

The nose leads back to one of Newey's favourite designs from McLaren, the twin keel, which has been integrated into the turning vanes. The usual square cross-section at the front of the monocoque extends down and outwards to meet the lower wishbone, the extension then continues to form a turning vane. This is a neat solution and one Newey had employed at McLaren since 2002.

Newey himself considers the design as a 'zero keel', but looking at how low the wishbone mounting is compared the front bulkhead, it appears that the wishbone loads are fed through a significant structure to reach the bulkhead. This keel structure adds weight to the front of the car, but perhaps the excess weight for the keel structure has been traded to capitalise on potential geometry advantages.

The extra weight at the front of the car is not such an issue this year, as the Bridgestone tyres prefer more weight on the front axle. Whatever terminology is applied to the wishbone mounting, its performance difference to its rivals is likely to be negligible.

Ferrari influence is seen with the mirrors and double flick ups on the bargeboards © XPB/LAT (Click image to enlarge)

Allied to the turning vane formed by the keel, the main bargeboards are a conventional design, now sporting Ferrari-like twin flicks at the trailing edge. Also aping Ferrari design are the mirrors, placed out on the shoulders of the sidepods in a position where they sit in the dirty wake coming off the front wheels. As of yet, the sidepods have not gained pod wings on their shoulders, which is a design Newey shied away from at McLaren.

The front edges of the sidepods are extremely tightly shaped, the "r" shaped inlets see the sidepod curl under dramatically before leading down to a simple chimney winglet and flip-up. The engine cover features a large removable panel that forms the chimney, providing a lot of scope for extra cooling outlets - but the Renault engine was chosen over the Ferrari unit partly for its lower heat output and this allows the cooling outlets to be reduced, in turn reducing drag.

In side profile, the engine and snorkel follow the McLaren layout of a long snorkel leading to an undercut spine that supports the shelf wing. Towards the back of the engine cover the gearbox features a fairing that fully streamlines the rear of the car. It's not apparent what layout the rear dampers/spring have, but the neat low-line shape of the bodywork suggests the usual Red Bull vertical torsion bar layout has changed.

At its launch the car already sported a new rear wing complete with its 2007 regulation profile guides, aimed to prevent slot gaps altering at speed. The wing profile mimics that of Renault's, where the middle section is flatter than the outer tips, and this reflects the direction of the onset airflow. To help support the complex shaped wing, two struts feed the wing loads into the gearbox.

Deeply undercut sidepods feature simple chimneys, winglets and flip ups © LAT (Click image to enlarge)

Inside the rear diffuser Red Bull have adopted the Honda-style extra channels to the side of the central tunnel, something that has also been adopted by Ferrari and McLaren. The regulations allow a small area of the side channels to be higher than the maximum roof height mandated in 2005, and this extra outlet area is important to maximise the potential downforce the diffuser can create.

Fundamentally, the RB3 marks a significant step forward for Red Bull, but it will be interesting to see how far this single step can take the team towards the front-runners. Despite the car's similarity to other cars, the team has still had to design, draw and test every single component and get each of the different elements to work in unison.

And just as BMW-Sauber started a maturing process in their car this year, so will Red Bull. This process of ensuring the engineering and operation of the car work perfectly takes time, so despite the star design treatment, it will still be a surprise if the team manages to suddenly leap ahead of its rivals.