Daniel Ricciardo has highlighted Red Bull’s assertive strategy in developing the remarkable RB20 as evidence of the Formula 1 team’s ambition to dominate its rivals overwhelmingly.
In a departure from simply refining the previous year’s RB19, Red Bull has introduced a daring new design. This includes a revolutionary approach to the side pods and the adoption of Mercedes-like channels on the engine cover.
This innovative design made a strong impression during this week’s Bahrain testing, positioning the team from Milton Keynes at the forefront of the competition as the season commences.
Ricciardo, a driver within the Red Bull camp, emphasized the team’s relentless pursuit of excellence beyond the already successful RB19, showcasing their aggressive competitive spirit.
When questioned by the media about his reaction to the team’s efforts this winter on the RB20, Ricciardo responded: “I laugh because I’m surprised, but I’m not.
“I feel it’s a team that operates at its best when they’re winning. I feel like when they’re winning, it’s like they want to just completely crush the competition.
“It’s not like: ‘Okay, now we’re winning. Let’s go on holiday.’ It’s like: ‘Let’s really put our feet down.’ So that’s where I think they’ve come out this year. After the most dominant season in ’23, now they come out with a car that I think I was even like, ‘Wow’.”
Ricciardo, whose tenure with Red Bull spanned from 2014 to 2018 and potentially looking at a comeback next year, expresses his admiration for the team’s technical guidance, particularly praising the vision of its chief technical officer, Adrian Newey.
He stated, “I feel like they’ve had the most – kind of – updates out of anyone, and that’s really saying something.”
“Look, I love seeing Adrian near the car and that. And I don’t even feel bad singling Adrian out, because I know it’s more than just Adrian, but he’s obviously a big part of it. And it’s pretty cool to see.
“Whether I’m part of the family or not, I just – as a fan – love to see that kind of relentless approach and response to such a strong year.
“It’s like you have to, in a way, admire it. I know, obviously, for fans watching on the couch, they’re like, ‘Nah, I want someone to challenge Red Bull this year’. But you have to admire their approach.”
The standout performance of the RB20 during testing has led some to speculate that Red Bull could accomplish this year what eluded them in 2023 – securing a victory in every race. However, Ricciardo remains somewhat skeptical about the feasibility of this achievement.
He said, “It seems nearly impossible, It’s because of just how many races there are, and whether you get a wet race or not.
“Look, as much as they brought a new car to the season and I’m sure it’s still going to be a race-winning car, I don’t know: it’s too early to be that sure that it’s going to be as dominant as last year.
“They’re going to win races. I’m sure they will. But I wouldn’t go as far as saying yet that it’s going to be unbeatable.
“I think, Formula 1 is too unpredictable [for Red Bull] to be unbeatable. I think they’ll do very well but yeah, too early to have that confidence.”
