As the 2024 season beckoned, many Formula 1 fans were thrilled to see the neon green paint design from Sauber.
Why paint is the latest sign of concern at Red Bull F1
Red Bull’s concerns over the RB20 have now led to a change in paint scheme plans
Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Mark Schofield is a former college quarterback and attorney covering the NFL and F1.
The reason? On a grid filled with so much bare black carbon fiber, seeing any bit of color offered some inspiration.
As we outlined ahead of the 2023 season, F1 teams are meticulous about every gram of weight added to their cars. With rules and regulations requiring that each car weigh a minimum of 798 kilograms, and any added weight working to slow the car down, teams found every way imaginable to reduce weight while not sacrificing power.
Even if it meant a lack of paint, and more bare carbon fiber, on the cars.
Now, when you have a dominant car and/or a dominant driver, you can get away with a little added weight. That was the case with Red Bull in 2023, as the RB19 went into the history books as the most dominant car in the sport’s history. Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez combined to win 21 out of 22 Grands Prix a season ago, a new record in the sport.
Although, as we pointed out on Monday, perhaps there was an underlying problem with the RB19. Christian Horner at last weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix made the case that an upgraded floor the team brought to the Spanish Grand Prix for the RB19 was the moment when their development started to go awry, but since Verstappen kept winning, they did not think they had a problem with the car.
Still, Verstappen kept winning, which allowed Red Bull to run custom paint schemes a year at the three races in the United States.
This year, as part of their REBL CUSTMS program the team was scheduled to feature custom paint schemes at this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, as well as the United States Grand Prix in October. However, that plan has been scrapped.
The reason? A weight concern:
Red Bull enters this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix in unfamiliar territory as they trail in the Constructors’ Championship for the first time since early in the 2022 season. At the moment McLaren has a 20-point lead over Red Bull, and with the team worried about a repeat of last year’s Singapore Grand Prix — which was the only Grand Prix in 2023 where they did not score a podium — every point matters.
As does every gram.
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