The trick Red Bull's 'vertical sidepods' were hiding

As the 2024 cars emerged on track in Sakhir, most of the focus was on the secrets of the Red Bull RB20.

Adrian Newey's latest design certainly caught the attention of those present in the Bahrain pit-lane, and an answer to the question of the sidepod inlets was finally discovered.

Up close, it became clear that the actualy inlets are horizontal, located high up under the lip positioned at the upper edge.

The vertical slit is instead serving a similar function to the bypass duct on the Ferrari SF-24. The radiators are flat, with a reduced inclination as pictures of the car without bodywork proved.

But what is interesting about the RB20 is not limited to the sidepod inlets.

When Max Verstappen took the RB20 out, two large inlets in the long gulleys at the base of the halo were discovered, funneling air towards the rear of the car.

The idea is to increase rear-blowing and improve the extraction of hot air from the sidepods and also the diffuser.

The profile element is clear how its cross-section is divided into channels of different width and depth in respect to the car centreline.

It is a development of the double slide concept that was present on the RB19 last year. It is becoming clearer that the RB20 is an extreme development by Newey and his team - and has no basis with the flawed Mercedes W14.

Looking at the current layout of the cooling system, a zero sidepod version of the car that has been rumoured for the Japanese Grand Prix must be considered highly unlikely.