Red Bull Racing’s head of aerodynamics Dan Fallows is confident that the team can bounce back from a difficult start to the 2015 Formula 1 season by making big gains with updates on the RB11 car over the next few grands prix.
The team has dropped back into the midfield in F1 due to a number of problems with the RB11, with the Renault power unit being the biggest grievance for the former champions.
In fact, the issues have prompted Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz to threaten to quit F1 altogether unless changes are made to reduce the focus on engine power and ability in the sport.
In spite of the issues being faced by Red Bull, Fallows is confident that the team can use its aerodynamic expertise – the decisive factor in the team’s title streak between 2010 and 2013 – to cut the gap to Mercedes at the front of the pack.
“We went into 2015 knowing we had a long way to catch-up,” Fallows said. “Everybody knows where our major deficit is but frankly, why we’re being outperformed is irrelevant.
“We have it in our power, in the aerodynamics department, to do something about it.
“F1 has plenty of performance differentiators: there’s the driver, the power unit, the aerodynamics, the use of tires and so on, but there’s really only one aspect over which the aero team can have a fundamental impact.
“So we go into the year knowing what the deficit is and working on the basis that it’s our job in this department to close that gap.
“We can do it because we have to the tools to do it, we’ve done it before and the aim is to do it again.”
Like most of the teams, Red Bull will arrive in Barcelona for next weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix with a major upgrade package for the RB11 car, providing a boost to drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Daniil Kvyat after a tough start to the 2015 season.
