Challenging time for Red Bull

Adrian Newey has admitted that he and Red Bull Racing have found the new Formula One regulations a huge challenge ahead of the 2014 season.

The teams roll on to Bahrain this week for the second pre-season winter test session ahead of the FIA Formula One World Championship starting next month.

Red Bull, as well as all the Renault powered teams are hoping for a better run this time around after they all struggled in Jerez.

Mercedes powered teams completed 2,407 miles during the four-day test session in Jerez.

Ferrari powered teams completed 1,221 miles, while Renault completed just 415 miles.

Renault’s poor mileage was partly down to Lotus not taking part, issues with Renault new hybrid 1.6-litre V6’s and Red Bull Racing’s own exhaust issues.

‘What stopped us at Jerez, on our side as opposed to Renault’s side, was a problem where the bodywork local to the exhaust was catching fire, It’s a problem which hopefully we can get on top of ready for Bahrain. Red Bull chief technical officer Adrian Newey told Autosport Magazine.

‘I think had we been a couple of weeks further ahead then that could all have been done in private on the dyno. But unfortunately it was done in public.’

What Red Bull discovered, in view of the world’s media, was that the heat of the exhaust was setting fire to bodywork.

This was down to the smaller packaging Red Bull had used in order to aid the new cars aerodynamics.

‘The radiator area that we need to cool the charge air from the turbo and additionally all of the extra cooling we need for the electrical side of things [both additions for 2014], the batteries, the motor generator unit and so forth, the control box… It means that the radiator area is roughly double last year’s car with the V8.

‘So trying to package that in without compromising the aerodynamics too heavily is a challenge.’

With Red Bull having a number of weeks since the Jerez test to re-design the back of the car and Renault managing to run a number of various hardware changes, software bug fixes and calibration improvements during Lotus’s 60 mile media day, Red Bull will be aiming to complete far more than the 31 laps in Spain.