F1 News: Red Bull Issues Warning To Teams Looking To Copy Concept - "Darwin Effect"

The other teams are warned as they develop their 2024 contenders over the winter break.

Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache advises other Formula 1 teams against copying the design of the RB19 F1 car from the previous year, highlighting the potential risks associated with venturing into an unfamiliar design philosophy.

Last year, Red Bull's title contender RB19 displayed complete dominance over the Formula 1 grid by helping the outfit win 21 out of the 22 Grands Prix- a new record in the history of the sport. 

The other teams meanwhile experimented with various permutations and combinations on their cars in the form of upgrades, which helped the pack get closer from the bottom up to P2. But except for the race in Singapore that Ferrari's Carlos Sainz won, the position at P1 was left untouched, courtesy of Max Verstappen and his RB19. 

Consequently, as the season got more intense in the second half, teams such as Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren began to take design inspiration from Red Bull's supreme car. The result was positive, but not enough to challenge the best. The teams had to try something else. Maybe copy, but also understand the concept of what they're copying?

Though copying the car's design is one thing, it is highly important to understand the design philosophy behind it in the first place to have more control over the elements being copied.

As reported, several teams have chosen the Red Bull route to develop their 2024 title contenders over the winter break. But Wache warns that blindly copying the RB19 with the help of photos could have negative repercussions unless the design philosophy is understood. Speaking to Autosport.com, he said:

“I think it’s possible to copy, but in every business in the world, when it’s technical, the ‘how’ is one aspect.

“The most important aspect is ‘why’. If you don’t know ‘why’, you can copy whatever you want, but it’s better to stay with what you understand.”

The tech director emphasized that if the concept is understood while copying, one can upgrade it into a better one. He added:

“We also copy some stuff.

“We [might] copy the wrong thing, but you [also] inspire yourself based on what you see from others.

“It’s like a Darwin effect, this business. You see something from others, you add another idea to it and you develop and you grow your concept, your strengths, and your capacity.

“But every time it has to be on the understanding aspect. If you just copy for copying’s sake, it doesn’t work.

“You [need to] have the knowledge and also what you want to achieve. If you don’t have the same golden aim of characteristics, it doesn’t bring anything.”

Red Bull Press Image