Briton feels rules favour engines over aerodynamics too much
Sunday 1 February 2015 18:59, UK
Adrian Newey admits it will be difficult to close a “10 per cent” engine deficit to Mercedes from last year, no matter how good the Red Bull RB11’s chassis is.
The Milton Keynes-based team battled problems with their Renault engine from the off in 2014 when they saw their run of drivers’ and constructors’ titles come to an end.
Team principal Christian Horner told reporters ahead of the first test that the French firm were “taking an aggressive development approach to this year”, but Newey thinks the deficit to the Mercedes power unit may be too much to bridge in one winter.
"Renault stated that the power deficit was around 10 per cent, which was [in line with] our estimations and analysis,” Newey told the assembled media in Jerez.
“It’s not something that’s easy for them to overcome in a very short period of time. They have done a very good job of developing the engine over the winter, but to overcome a 10 per cent deficit in so few months is very difficult.
“Engine development has a much longer lead time than for a chassis one.”
Aerodynamic development is an area in which Newey has shone throughout his F1 career, but Red Bull’s chief technical officer feels stifled by the regulations introduced at the start of 2014.
“I think it’s all got a little bit out of kilter,” he declared. “Formula 1 should be a blend of the performance of the driver, of the chassis and the engine and the current regulations are styled too much in favour of the engine and are very restrictive on the chassis. So if an engine manufacturer rises above it it’s difficult for a chassis manufacturer to make enough of a difference to overturn that.”
Red Bull finished the opening day of pre-season testing fourth on the timesheets, two tenths behind Mercedes, but over seven tenths behind Ferrari. Daniel Ricciardo completed 35 laps in total, a significant improvement on the three laps they managed on the same day in 2014.
The Sky Sports F1 Online team will be providing live commentary from all four days of testing in Jerez – from dawn on Sunday to dusk on Wednesday. Sky Sports News HQ will also have live updates from trackside.
