F1 News: Former Driver Weighs In On Red Bull's Failed FIA Test - "Find More Performance"

Former F1 driver Johnny Herbert doesn't see Red Bull's failed FIA crash test as an issue.

Former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert weighed in on the recent rumours surrounding Red Bull Racing's 2024 car, the RB20, and its alleged failure in the initial FIA crash test. Herbert suggests that this setback may simply be a byproduct of the team's drive to enhance performance, indicating that such challenges are part and parcel of the sport's competitive nature.

Key Takeaways:

• Rumoured Crash Test Failure: Reports emerged, though unconfirmed, that Red Bull Racing's RB20 failed the FIA's dynamic frontal homologation test. This failure points to potential design vulnerabilities, particularly with the car's nose, which may not be adequately absorbing crash impact energy.
• Red Bull's Innovation Push: The speculated setback underscores Red Bull Racing's commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation within Formula 1's stringent regulations. This approach, while risky, is characteristic of top F1 teams that continuously seek performance enhancements.

Teams are constantly balancing the drive for innovation with the need to comply with the sport's safety and performance regulations. The recent rumours about Red Bull Racing's RB20 failing the FIA crash test have sparked discussions about the challenges teams face in this pursuit. According to Johnny Herbert, such setbacks are not unusual and often reflect a team's ambition to extract the maximum performance from their cars. Herbert explained:

"Red Bull are just trying to find more performance out of the car. Sometimes you are always going to be on the edge. When it does fail it doesn’t help the preparation. It is a good thing to get it done early.

"Once Red Bull sort themselves out it won’t affect them because they know there is a performance to get from the car. It is an important aspect of F1 to ensure the cars are able to absorb the unexpected nowadays in terms of safety."

It is understood that Red Bull has now passed the FIA crash tests ahead of the RB20 launch which is set for February 15.

Thank you to Mega Dice for setting up this interview. 

Keep up with the latest news on YouTube!