Red Bull Racing’s Formula One entry for the 2014 season, the RB10, was officially unveiled ahead of the first preseason testing session on Tuesday.
The new car will be in the hands of 4-time world champion Sebastien Vettel and former Toro Rosso driver Daniel Ricciardo when the season kicks off with the Australian Grand Prix in March.
Carrying one of the more conservative designs of the Formula One competitors in this year’s paddock, the RB10 doesn’t appear to reflect a major change from last year’s car. However the new aerodynamic regulations and 1.6-liter turbocharged engine requirements make this an entirely different car beneath the surface.
Designer Adrian Newey, much like Ferrari, found positioning and packaging the turbocharged V6 to be one of the harder challenges faced when building the new car.
“Whereas the V8s were a very well-known package, with these power units, the engine itself is easy enough to install, but then of course you’ve got the turbocharger, the intercoolers, and the electrical side in terms of the motor generator units and much bigger batteries,” Newey said in an interview.
As for the aerodynamic regulations, the RB10 has a steep raked nose to accommodate for new aerodynamic regulations, which call for a much lower front end. Out back, the secondary beam wing has been removed, and there is a larger slot for the Drag Reduction System (DRS).
RBR and the RB10 have had tough start to the 2014 season after problems with the car caused Sebastien Vettel to complete just 11 laps in three days during testing in Jerez. Today, teammate Daniel Ricciardo took over driving duties, but was unable to complete a lap after the car went up in smoke, according to The Guardian.
There are nine days of testing left before the opening Australian Grand Prix in March. Red Bull and Renault will be looking to improve the reliability of their engine, as RBR boss Chris Horner told the official Formula One website, reliability will be a key factor in success this this season.
“In terms of the key elements this year, obviously the engine is going to be a crucial factor – reliability of the power units is going to be critical,” said Horner. “Obviously whoever has the most powerful, reliable power unit is going to come out on top.”
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