F1 News: Red Bull Chief Adamant Singapore GP Rule Change Won't Affect Team

Red Bull team chief Christian Horner is confident that the tightened rules for the Singapore Grand Prix will not change their dominance.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has spoken out on the tightened rules for the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix, but remains adamant that this won't be an issue for the Austrian team.

The Austrian team has won every race of the 2023 season so far and will be hoping to continue this incredible winning streak. However, Mercedes, Aston Martin, and Ferrari are expected to be strong at the Marina Bay Street Circuit. On top of this, Red Bull's sister team AlphaTauri is set to bring big upgrades to the race weekend.

The FIA has taken a decisive step with the introduction of technical directive TD018. This move comes amidst suspicions about teams manipulating the flexibility of front and rear wings for aerodynamic advantages. Such flexibility can offer teams improved downforce and reduced drag at high speeds.

The directive is rooted in Article 3.2.2 of the Technical Regulations, which mandates components to be “rigidly secured and immobile with respect to their frame of reference.” To ensure adherence and clarity, the FIA requested teams to furnish detailed assembly drawings and cross-sections of their cars. This will provide insights into how front and rear wing elements are integrated with other parts, such as the nose, rear-wing endplates, and rear-impact structure. By the Singapore GP, all designs flagged as non-compliant need rectifications. 

Speaking about the changes, Horner insisted to the media that he doesn't see if affecting Red Bull. He explained:

“It’s not something that affects us.

“We’ve seen a few rubbery nose boxes, shall we say, so we’ll see those get addressed, I guess, in Singapore.”