Bernie Collins, a former strategy engineer for Formula One, believes Red Bull may have been attempting to confuse its competitors by
utilizing a phantom car at the RB20 unveiling. The team’s 2024 Formula One car shares certain components with Mercedes’ W14, which
finished the previous season without winning a single Grand Prix.
Astute F1 fans noted that the RB20 displayed at the unveiling ceremony had bulging cooling arrangements and vertical sidepod inlets, just
like Mercedes’ W14, which finished far behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship last year. After completely dominating their
rivals the previous year, Sergio Perez acknowledged that Red Bull engineers’ decision to take a new approach was “brave.” Collins, though,
believes that the entire affair might have been a ruse to fool their competitors about the true appearance of the RB20 at the Bahrain Grand
Prix early in the following month.
“I think maybe years in F1 have made me suspicious, so let’s see the car that rolls out on Day One in Bahrain because I’m not sure it’s
going to be that car,” she stated on the Sky F1 podcast.
It might just be a small joke. Yes, I am quite suspicious, but I’ll give it a shot. They could have simply kept improving the car they had, so if
they do show up with that vehicle, it’s a very bold decision. “I believe that would have been the wiser choice. It’s not surprising that they’ve
been examining it in the wind tunnel or conducting experiments to see if they can extract more information from it.
“I’m absolutely shocked that they agreed to it. Bahrain qualifying will thus be extremely fascinating if that vehicle shows up, which I will
be very eager to watch.”
This week, from Wednesday to Friday, there will be three days of crucial testing at the Bahrain International Circuit for Max Verstappen
and Perez. Red Bull is riding high on the success of winning 21 of the 22 Grands Prix from the previous season.
Given how far off Red Bull was from the pursuing group, Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff says his main priority will be preserving Mercedes’s
lead over Ferrari, McLaren, and Aston Martin rather than going up against Verstappen and company.
“Our aim is to consolidate our positions towards Ferrari, McLaren, Aston Martin and be in the forward part of that group,” the Austrian
driver stated. “And at the same time trying to race at the very front.”
