F1 AlphaTauri team reveal major Red Bull 'error'

Perez haalt Tsunoda in op Interlagos — Photo: © LAT Images

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F1 team reveal major Red Bull 'error'

Red Bull dominated the 2023 Formula 1 season, winning 21 out of 22 races

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Wednesday 20 December 2023 14:57

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AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer has admitted that the Formula 1 team's decision to develop their own suspension, rather than taking it from Red Bull, was simply an 'error'.

It was not until the Singapore Grand Prix that Red Bull's sister team would adopt the RB19's rear suspension from the reigning constructors' champions.

After finding themselves at the foot of the team standings for much of the season, the move would allow them to make a belated charge to ultimately finish in P8, just three points behind Williams.

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Reflecting on the decision to initially forge their own path, Bayer admitted that it was a mistake and something the team will learn from going forward.

AlphaTauri finished P8 in the constructors' championship

Red Bull decision proved costly

"The initial decision to go our own way with those critical parts simply was an error, and the people [who made the decision] back then are not with us anymore," he told Autosport.

"I guess engineers always have plenty of arguments why you should do certain things, but I think everybody in the paddock understood now that with this new regulation change and the new downforce pattern, which is so reliant on the floor, the suspension is the next most important thing.

Red Bull's RB19 proved to be one of the most dominant F1 cars of all time

"You've got the floor and then you've got the suspension. If those two don't work together, you might as well not go out."

"I guess that's the big learning for us for this year," he added when asked if the team were trying to out-think Red Bull.

"But at the same time, what is tricky for us as a customer is you get a piece, but you have to make that piece work and it's very difficult.

"Look at some other teams who have hired ex-Red Bull aerodynamicists and engineers, they made some quick gains but then constant development is not as easy as it looks."

Red Bull Williams Singapore Grand Prix AlphaTauri