Red Bull’s RB19 Emerges as F1’s Greatest Machine: Horner Reveals Key to Success in Weight Reduction
In the realm of Formula 1 history, Red Bull’s RB19 has etched its name as a statistical giant, drawing comparisons to iconic predecessors like McLaren MP4/4, Ferrari F2004, and Mercedes’ 2020 W11. According to team principal Christian Horner, the RB19’s unparalleled success in 2023, securing 21 out of 22 Grand Prix victories and clinching both titles, can be attributed to a substantial weight reduction of nearly 20kg from its 2022 predecessor.
Despite a significant carryover of components from the RB18, including the gearbox, suspension, and half of the chassis, Horner emphasized that the strategic focus on shedding weight was the fundamental difference that propelled the RB19 to its historic dominance.
The team’s meticulous efforts in addressing imperfections and achieving marginal gains across various areas ultimately distinguished the RB19 as one of the greatest F1 cars of all time.
“What you have to remember is that with the RB19, there were a large number of components that came from the RB18: gearbox, a large percentage of the suspension, and half of the chassis,” Horner explained to media.
“It was effectively a cut-and-shut for this year.
“The most significant thing that we were able to address was the weight.
“We were so late going on to the new regs in 2021, because of that championship battle, that the car in 2022 was a bit on the chunky side.
“We managed to get 20 kilos out of the car coming into this year and tidy up some of the imperfections.
“There were a great many carryover parts and some of the components have actually won, in Max’s case, 19 races this year and 15 last year, so the combination of the two is 34 races.
“It was not one specific area that you could take the weight off. It was just marginal gains in all areas.
“I think that was probably the fundamental difference between the 2022 car and the 2023 car.”
