McLaren's Andrea Stella has highlighted Red Bull's unique sidepod design as a noteworthy development in F1. He believes this phase in car design is particularly intriguing as teams explore varied concepts.
McLaren's team principal, Andrea Stella, has taken notice of an intriguing change in Red Bull's sidepod design, which caught his eye during the Miami Grand Prix. Stella believes the current phase in Formula 1 car design is particularly fascinating, with teams exploring different approaches. At the Miami event, McLaren had a strong performance, with Lando Norris claiming victory in the Sprint and finishing second in the Grand Prix, while Oscar Piastri secured second and third places in the respective races.
This success was partly attributed to McLaren's substantial upgrade package aimed at closing the gap to the likes of Mercedes. However, Stella emphasized that McLaren isn't the only team striving for breakthroughs. "For those with a technical interest, we are in a fascinating phase," Stella remarked post-Miami. He pointed out that Red Bull's sidepod concept is distinct from those of Mercedes and Ferrari, and even McLaren's design differs significantly.
Stella anticipates a future convergence in design strategies, but notes that teams are currently far from this point. "I think there will be a process of observing and testing each other's concepts," he said, suggesting that Red Bull's approach might be particularly influential.
Red Bull's updates to the RB22, including modifications to the front wing, floor, and brake ducts, were introduced to enhance aerodynamic stability and improve front-end response. Despite their previous struggles under new regulations, Red Bull made significant gains in Miami, with Max Verstappen's performance highlighting their progress.
Stella acknowledged Red Bull's cleverness in utilizing regulatory allowances to innovate their sidepods. "They've been quite smart and innovative," he admitted. Although some design elements may eventually align, he believes we are still far from the uniformity seen in 2025, when cars began to look quite similar.
As teams continue to experiment and adapt, this phase in F1 promises to be a captivating one, with each outfit keen to find that competitive edge.