Racing Bulls, the future is now. The team, led by Laurent Mekies, arrived in Las Vegas, the venue for the third-to-last event of the 2024 Formula 1 World Championship, with several updates on the VCARB01, one of which comes directly from the car that could give Max Verstappen his fourth world title.
We are talking about the new rear suspension, adapted to the VCARB01 thanks to significant work by the engineers in Faenza. This has allowed the Italo-Austrian team to arrive in Nevada with an important update: a clear sign of how much the team in Faenza is aiming for sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship, currently 5 points away (Alpine 49 points, Haas 46, Racing Bulls 44).
Alan Permane, Racing Bulls’ racing director, explained in Las Vegas the reason behind the team’s decision to accelerate the timeline and install the RB20 suspensions for the final three races of the season.
“We have a new rear suspension. It’s a new feature both mechanically and aerodynamically. This should help us improve our performance. It’s the complete 2024 Red Bull specification.”
Alan Permane also emphasized how the work done in Faenza was complex. The current car was built on the suspensions of the dominant RB19, but now it will feature new components that come from a car very different from last year’s model.
It was a long and meticulous adaptation, but it must allow Racing Bulls to achieve their ultimate goal: sixth place in the Constructors’ Championship, ahead of Alpine and Haas.
“I wouldn’t say the implementation of the new suspensions has been easy. But it’s part of the overall package of updates. It’s the same for all the new components that upgrade the car. An incredible amount of work has been done in Faenza to make sure they fit on the car. Putting everything together and making it all work.”
The debut of these suspensions on the VCARB01 is not only important for the present but also for the future. Given the investment teams will make in the design and construction of the 2026 cars, the final three races will serve Racing Bulls to get accustomed to the same suspensions that will be used as the base for the VCARB02, the car for next year.
“The new suspension we have here will absolutely be the basis for Racing Bulls’ 2025 car,” confirmed Alan Permane ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend.
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