The Key to Red Bull's RB19 Rocket Speed

The dominance of the Red Bull RB 19 in Formula One is often attributed to its exceptional aerodynamics. However, it is not solely due to aerodynamics but also a key aspect of its suspension design. Red Bull's legendary designer, Adrian Newey, revealed that his focus was on the front and rear suspension, which has contributed to the team's success.?

Redbull has followed a different route as compared to rest of the grid where they have used Pullrod configuration on the front and Pushrod at the rear.

Building upon last year's mechanical platform has allowed Red Bull to make significant performance improvements this year. While Red Bull's suspension design plays a crucial role, it is not solely about mechanical grip levels.

In Formula One, every component of the car is interconnected for optimal performance. Red Bull's advantage in suspension design is something that their rivals have overlooked. Many teams have followed the familiar car concept with downwash ramps in the side pods, except for Mercedes and Ferrari.

Ferrari has acknowledged that their concept has limitations compared to Red Bull's, and Mercedes admitted the need to change their car design.

Red Bull has implemented extreme antidive and antisquat configurations in their suspension, which provide a crucial aerodynamic advantage by maintaining precise control of the mechanical platform.

Anti Squat : Anti-squat geometry features on the rear wheels as they are the only wheels that will want to squat during acceleration due to the rotation of the car. Anti-squat limits the amount of compression or vertical displacement of the rear wheels due to the acceleration of the car.

Anti Dive : Anti-dive geometry is effectively anti-squat for the front wheels under braking conditions. When a car is under braking conditions, the braking force acts directly through the centre of gravity and causes the car to rotate. Anti-dive geometry prevents the car from diving on the brakes and stops the front wheels from deflecting vertically or going into bump due to braking conditions.

Anti Lift : Anti-lift geometry is used mainly o four wheel drive cars. It works when an acceleration force is acting through the centre of gravity causing the front wheels to raise as the rear tries to squat due to the acceleration

This allows for better consistency in the car's attitude, leading to improved aerodynamic performance. Red Bull's suspension design also facilitates running the car lower to enhance ground effect and generate more downforce. The antilift characteristics of the rear suspension, combined with effective antisquat geometry, prevent the car from hitting the ground and enhance the effectiveness of the DRS (Drag Reduction System).

While Red Bull's suspension design offers significant advantages, it does come with certain drawbacks. Cars with a high antidive configuration struggle to build tire temperature for qualifying laps, which explains Red Bull's smaller advantage in qualifying compared to their race pace advantage. The front tire grip may not be optimal initially, but once the temperature is built, the grip improves. There can also be a negative effect on brake pedal feel and sensitivity due to the antidive front suspension.

Red Bull's advantage lies in designing a car that performs well across a wide range of circuits. Implementing such suspension geometry requires significant changes, making it unlikely for other teams to replicate it during the season due to the cost cap. However, it is expected that other teams will follow a similar direction next year. The question remains as to what innovations Red Bull will introduce in 2024 while other teams catch up.