Even though Red Bull is leading both the Formula 1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championship by considerable margins, development does not stop on its dominant RB19. The team has brought an evolution to Singapore and contrary to what many media have declared, this is not yet the last development we will see on this single-seater. It is not a large update visually, but we have learned from sources that it involves a different configuration of the Venturi channels under the floor coupled with the high downforce versions of the wings. While the update could lead to a reduction in top speeds, it is possible that this is a prefiguration of some solutions that will be adopted on the RB20 next year. This is why it is important that it happens on a high downforce track, as it is well known that the most significant effects obtained from the DRS are obtained when the incidence of the flap is higher. Article continues below.
Singapore proving ground
Singapore is exactly the type of track that the RB19's DRS has shown the most potential. Adrian Newey and his team are trying to anticipate effective solutions, knowing that rivals will be able to replicate the effect of the RB19's DRS on their respective cars. The conformation of the floor coupled with the beam wing has so far increased the effect of the DRS on the RB19. Once this design direction has been exhausted, the new floor would allow a stall of the diffuser with an even greater flow rate than what is done currently, keeping the principle substantially unchanged. In practice, with a different conformation of the Venturi channels, a different management of the exit flow would be obtained, which would increase the effect of the open DRS without changing any of the exterior aerodynamic surfaces. For rivals, it means their plans to copy Red Bull's solution would once again lead them to the unseen sections and Venturi channels - which are not easily replicable. It appears clear from this development that Red Bull's technical strategy has already been outlined for next season: to try to maintain its technical advantage over its direct opponents.
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