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[CookinFlat6]

There is a lot of assumptions from many quarters that RBR will continue in the rich vein of the last 4 years. This is based on his mastery of the EBD, the outstanding innovation of the last era.
2014 sees a reset of the regulations, demoting aero trickery and promoting mechanical and power delivery innovations.

Assuming Renault fix their own problems in time for the remaining tests, Newey has a redesign on his hands, as so far he has come up with the worst solution amongst the Renault family.

Is it a given that he will produce the best Renault powered car in time to at least finish the season as the best Renault team. Lets not forget Lotus, STR and Caterham have an equal opportunity to produce better solutions and may all be ahead already.

The following interview with Newey gives clues to the reality behind the assumption that the aero king of the aero generation can become a prince of a completely new era

http://autosprint.corrieredellosport.it/2014/02/04/parla-newey-troppi-pericoli-nascosti/13080/

For me the pertinent answers for this poll are as follows;

- Worried that he had lost so much time in the design of the RB10?
"It was the biggest challenge of my career in F1. We had too little time for a car so complex and it is a great achievement for the whole team have succeeded. But, for example, to abolish the effect of blowing of discharges took away an important tool. It will be increasingly difficult to turn with greater ground clearance at the rear (though we feel the same, ed.) We had already seen in 2011, when we lost a lot of time to compensate for this loss by changing the position of discharges in the sides. "

- Engine aside, what is the new regulatory provision that convinces you not?
"They wanted to impose the KERS batteries in one piece at the center of the car, for security reasons. Well, I'm not so sure I put it in the gas tank is much safer than it behind the engine. Our solution, the sides of the exchange, was ideal for the distribution of the weights. And it is an advantage that we have lost.

2014 will be truly a "Formula Engine", an F1 car where the engine will count more than anything else or at the end of the innovative aerodynamic solutions will make a difference in the last five years?
"At least in the early part of the season you can talk quietly F.Motori. The reliability, maximum power, within the limits of consumption allowed, it will be a decisive factor. The aerodynamics will count only when these new V6 will have reached maturity. But for these drive units do not depend only directly from Renault. There are many other suppliers. And each of them has to adapt to the times of development and response of modern Formula One. "

Any thoughts on Neweys comments or his mindset about the design project?

[Jabberwocky]

Define best?

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[CookinFlat6]

WCC placing

[Hammer278]

WCC placing

Edit: factual error. Fair enough.

[CookinFlat6]

Say what

[Hammer278]

Nah I was gonna say that won't be good enough if all Renault powered cars don't score points. Some posts are meant to be deleted, unfortunately we don't have that feature.

[CookinFlat6]

That's a good point ( pun unintended), it's a possibility the Renault teams won't score any points if the top ten are a Mercs and Ferrari

However the wcc placings reflect finishing positions even outside the points, so the question remains whether RBR will place highest

[geetface9]

I did it!

[CookinFlat6]

Seeing as you said earlier RBR would win for the 5th time, then you would have to think they will beat the other Renault powered cars

What do you think about Neweys comments in the OP? Do you think he is sandbagging and is just hiding a car with a 2 sec advantage? Or do you think he means it when he says its his biggest challenge ever so far

[Jabberwocky]

RBR might be the fastest car but most unreliable because of the packaging. So it depends how long it takes to get it to complete a race distance

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[CookinFlat6]

Why do you think it could be one of the fastest cars exactly?

[Jabberwocky]

How many duds has Newey ever designed? Look at when he joins a new team, the cars are fast but fragile (maybe he designed Francesco) then after a few years the car becomes reliable.

I know that he has not joined a new team but the rule changes are big enough to reset all the inbuilt safeties that teams work to. The RBR will be fast while it runs.

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[bud]

It's far far to early to make any predictions. These guys will learn and evolve so much between tests let alone FP1 in Melbourne let alone the first Euro leg.
I think we are a long way off from the dust settling and a pecking order emerging.

[sagi58]

Completely agree with you, bud!! Not even sure why it's important to predict anything without any sort of "evidence"!
I guess "Enquiring Minds want to know!" ... NOW!!

[myownalias]

I think that it's unlikely that Red Bull will drop back behind the other Renault powered teams after winning four straight drivers and constructors titles. It's certainly going to be a tough season assuming that Red Bull hasn't been sandbagging in the first pre-season test, but come mid-season I believe Red Bull will be fighting for wins, I would never count out a Adrian Newey designed car.