Newey: 'Without that safety car it could have been the other way around'

Adrian Newey can be satisfied with the design he delivered to Red Bull Racing, as the RB18 is among the frontrunners along with Ferrari 's F1-75. The new car also seems to suit Sergio Perez better: Newey therefore points out that the result of the race in Jeddah could have been reversed just like that, were it not for the unfortunate timing of the safety car.

"First of all, it was very unfortunate for Checo. He controlled the race, but that safety car was just very unfortunate. Otherwise, it may have been the other way around," Newey states on the F1 Nation-podcast.

At the same time, Red Bull's master designer saw Max Verstappen move forward in an extremely patient manner and still take victory for the team. "This is just what the team needed after last weekend," continued the 63-year-old Briton.

As for the development of the new Formula One cars, Newey expects it to go fast at first, but to level off over the course of next season. In his experience, that is always the case with rule changes and this year is no exception.

What does make it different from other times, according to Newey, is the budget ceiling. "We have to develop within a tight budget and that brings its challenges, but it's the same for everyone," he concludes.