Rule changes may just work in Red Bull's favour

Formula 1 has been dominated by Mercedes for a number of years now. The team cleverly anticipated the introduction of hybrid engines and is still reaping the benefits. The upcoming rule changes might just work in Red Bull Racing's favour.

That's what Formula 1 says in an extensive analysis of the winter tests. According to them, the changes fit nicely with the RB16B, suddenly making Red Bull Racing more dangerous than ever. The changes include the high pitch of the rear end and the shortened floor of the Red Bull car and that of the AlphaTauri. This has reduced the downforce, which is not so much the case with Mercedes. This car still has a low rear end which compensates for the larger floor.

Especially at higher speeds, the difference between the two rear ends in combination with a longer or shorter floor should be significant. That difference will make a big difference in the corners where the pressure is distributed over the cars. With a smaller floor the downforce at those moments will be better, allowing a faster corner to be taken. Red Bull Racing seems to have an important trump card up its sleeve for the time ahead.

Will Red Bull overtake Mercedes in 2021?

During the winter tests Mercedes finished behind Red Bull, which also had problems with the car. The car was unbalanced and the gearbox didn't do what it was supposed to do. The champions can still recover, but the time to do so is very short. The new season officially starts on March 28th, so there is only one and a half week left to dot the i's and cross the t's.