2021 Red Bull to be RB16 'in different clothes' - Horner

Red Bull

2021 Red Bull to be RB16 'in different clothes' - Horner

F1 carries over regulations into 2021 with tweaks to aerodynamic packaging for safety reasons

Ian Parkes & Ewan Gale

Tuesday 22 December 2020 09:29

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes the aerodynamic changes for 2021 will mean the team will run an iteration of the RB16 where he claims it will effectively be the same car just 'wearing different clothes'.

The FIA stripped back on aerodynamic development for next season ahead of the introduction of new regulations for 2022 in order to save costs.

Horner explained that whilst the skeleton of the cars will remain unchanged for the most part, certain alterations will be visible on the exterior, which has already led to the team naming the car the RB16b.

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"I think the chassis stays the same, suspension elements stay the same, gearboxes carry over," he said.

"It is the clothes that it is wearing will be different, which is obviously the aerodynamic surfaces. We go into a budget cap world next year so the ability to develop is a lot more focused.

"It will be a new, different challenge next year, but I think we have the basis of a decent car."

Max Verstappen's victory in the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi was a welcome reminder that Red Bull has what it takes to challenge Mercedes at the top of the grid.

Horner suggested the team knows where its deficiencies lie compared to its rivals and that it will build on the foundations laid throughout the campaign.

"We have got the basis of a decent car," he claimed. "We think we know where our weaknesses have been compared to our opponent so that is where we are focusing our development over the winter.

"Mercedes will have an extremely strong package next year, there is no doubt about that. We have just got to use all the information and tools and data we have to do the best job we can."