Red Bull pinch Ferrari innovation as RB22 reaches major milestone

Red Bull has arrived at the Austrian Grand Prix, one of its two
home races in F1, with a significantly revised version of the RB22,
and the package on show is extensive enough to demand serious
attention. The most immediately visible changes concern the sidepod
inlets, which have been reshaped along their profile to improve
internal airflow management. The revised geometry is designed to
alter pressure distribution within the cooling channels, optimising
the fluid dynamics through the car’s internals. Given the circuit
characteristics and the high ambient temperatures expected, Red
Bull has also fitted a series of additional heat dissipation
louvres at the engine cover, a straightforward but necessary
concession to the conditions. The floor has received attention in
two distinct areas. The leading edge has been revised, as has the
lateral bodywork flanking it, with the aim of managing external
turbulence more effectively. At the rear of the car,
micro-aerodynamic detailing around the gearbox fairing and rear
suspension has also been refined, with engineers at Milton Keynes
leaving very little untouched across the package. FTM profile
interpretation and weight reduction Perhaps the most intriguing
element of the update is Red Bull’s interpretation of the FTM
(Flick Tail Mode) profile, positioned immediately behind the
exhaust exit. This is, of course, a concept first introduced by
Ferrari and subsequently adopted in various forms by other teams on
the grid. Its purpose is well established: to enhance the
efficiency of the rear wing’s main plane by influencing the airflow
exiting the diffuser region. That Red Bull has now committed its
own interpretation to the RB22 is a telling sign of the concept’s
effectiveness, and the precise execution of their solution will be
one of the more closely studied elements of the car this weekend.
Beyond the aerodynamic and mechanical revisions, there is a detail
that underlines just how comprehensive this development programme
has been. According to sources, the updated RB22 has now reached
the minimum weight limit stipulated by the regulations, a
significant achievement and one that reflects the cumulative weight
savings achieved across the various new components. It would be a
mischaracterisation to label this a ‘B-spec’ RB22. The underlying
concept and base philosophy of the car have not changed. What the
engineers in Milton Keynes have done instead is identify and
methodically resolve a broad spread of weaknesses, both large and
small, that were present in the earlier specification. This is
refinement rather than reinvention, but the scope of it is
considerable, addressing problem areas across virtually every
department of the car, including the persistent overweight issue
that had been a constraint throughout the early part of the season.
Whether the circuit will validate the work done in the factory is
now the only question that remains to be answered.