All the attention and analysis on Red Bull’s upgrades to the Formula 1 British Grand Prix has revolved around the engine cover bodywork which includes what looks like a ledge above the sidepods.
However, something that has gone unnoticed but has now come to light is a curious change that the team has made to the floor of the RB18.
The new design did not appear on the list of changes notified to the FIA ahead of the event, as Red Bull did not need to build a completely new set.
In fact, it capitalizes on the qualities of the tiled floor designs we’re seeing from the teams this year, so floor sections can be interchanged with each other without too much fuss.
At first, the development was only introduced on Max Verstappen’s car during the interrupted day on Friday, while his teammate Sergio Pérez used the older version.
That’s because of the way Red Bull works, as they like to collect data on updates on one car, before applying them to both.
Such practice ensures that you can check that there is a good correlation between the kit’s simulation tools and track performance before committing to them for the rest of the race weekend.
The new design turns the tables on Ferrari, which adopted what is known as the “ice skate” solution earlier in the season.
The ice skid , which incorporates the lip of the spoiler on the underside of the car, rather than on the top surface, was combined with other design features in the F1-75, while a similar philosophy has now been applied by Red Bull.
The result is a cutout in the ground ahead of the rear tire splash zone, which not only facilitates a change in the geometry of the two ground sections, but also exposes a tab-shaped spoiler that is attached to that skate.
Below we can see the old floor spec on the Red Bull and the one used by Ferrari for comparison.
