Red Bull accused of duping F1 rivals with ‘highly suspicious’ activity before Bahrain test

Red Bull threw people off when their RB20 launch revealed drastic changes to last year’s F1 car

Former F1 strategy engineer Bernie Collins feels Red Bull may have been trying to flummox their rivals by using a dummy car at the RB20 launch. Several elements on the team’s 2024 F1 car resemble those on Mercedes‘ W14, which went the whole of last season without notching a single Grand Prix win.

Eagle-eyed F1 fans noticed that the RB20 presented at the launch event included vertical sidepod inlets and a bulging cooling arrangement similar to Mercedes’ W14, which trailed miles behind last year’s Red

Sergio Perez admitted it was ‘brave’ for Red Bull engineers to head in a different direction after wiping the floor with their competition last year. But Collins feels the whole thing may have been a ploy to throw their rivals off the scent of how the RB20 will truly look at the Bahrain Grand Prix early next month.

“I think maybe years in F1 have made me suspicious, so let’s see the car that rolls out on Day One in Bahrain because I’m not sure it’s going to be that car,” she told the Sky F1 podcast.

Bull in the Constructors’ Championship.

“This could just be a little joke. Yeah, I am highly suspicious but let’s see. If they do rock up with that car, then it’s a brave, brave move because they could have easily continued to develop the car they had.

That would have been, I think, the safer bet. I’m not surprised that they’ve been looking at it in the wind tunnel and not surprised that they’ve been experimenting with if they can get more out of it.

I’m just surprised that they’ve gone with it. So if that car rocks up, which I’m going to be very interested to see, Bahrain qualifying is going to be really interesting.

Max Verstappen and Perez are gearing up for three days of vital testing at the Bahrain International Circuit between Wednesday and Friday this week. Red Bull have a massive target on their back after winning 21 out of last season’s 22 Grands Prix.

Max Verstappen and Perez are gearing up for three days of vital testing at the Bahrain International Circuit between Wednesday and Friday this week. Red Bull have a massive target on their back after winning 21 out of last season’s 22 Grands Prix.