Racing Bulls VCARB03: Red Bull suspension, but new concept

The VCARB03 reiterates that Racing Bulls is not a branch of Red Bull, but a team with its own autonomy and design identity. The single-seater from Faenza features the mechanics of the RB22, but differs profoundly in its aerodynamic approach, with solutions that also differentiate it from the rest of the grid. The Italian team has centralized the cooling system as much as possible, sacrificing the height of the center of gravity in favor of greater aerodynamic freedom with the sides. Red Bull suspension The Racing Bulls photos arriving from Barcelona offer a better view of the Red Bull suspension, only glimpsed in the cryptic launch video of the RB22. Around the new push-rod, which replaces the previous pull-rod used in the ground effect era, there is confirmation of a rather conservative design of the upper triangle, with little downward inclination. In this, the two teams in the Red Bull galaxy differ from the competition, which instead continues to orient the suspension elements, using them to guide the flows towards the center of the car. On the other hand, Racing Bulls and Red Bull propose a multilink scheme, decoupling the two lower arms. The solution, in addition to improving the control of wheel movements and inclination, offers greater opportunities to control flows. However, it is not yet clear which is the steering arm, whether the half-height element (1) or the one placed lower (2). The rear suspension remains push-rod and has some similarities to that of 2025, although there is reason to believe it has been renewed. Certainly, the VCARB03 will resort to completely different internal mechanical adjustments compared to the ground effect era, as it will no longer have to run close to the ground. The first images already show a certain rake angle, although the dipped set-up for now is far from 2021 levels. The Racing Bulls philosophy The VCARB03 and the RB22 also share the Red Bull-Ford power unit, but the points in common between the two projects end here, highlighting profound differences in the installation of the various components in the car. Unlike the Milton Keynes team, in fact, Racing Bulls has chosen to centralize the radiators above the engine as much as possible, more than all the cars seen so far, so much so that it recalls the 2021 Alpine. This can be appreciated from the enormous dimensions of the air scope, the air intake above the driver (3), which have allowed the side cooling vents to be crushed instead (4). The choice is also evident from the shapes of the bonnet, with a relatively small stabilizing fin (5), limited by the size of the radiators in the upper part. On the other hand, the bellies, which repeat the downward trend to convey the flows in the gearbox area, appear very hollow in the front area (6). Racing Bulls went against the grain, placing the radiator masses high up and choosing to sacrifice the height of the center of gravity, to the detriment of load transfer and mechanical grip. On the other hand, the space freed in the lower part allowed the lower bodywork to be excavated. All this helps both to convey the flows towards the rear and to increase the pressure on the sides of the passenger compartment, removing harmful turbulence from the front wheels. You can also appreciate the architecture of the aerodynamic structure in front of the bottom, with Racing Bulls opting for three horizontal flaps (7) shorter than those of Red Bull, taking advantage of the remaining space to install a double vertical flow diverter (8). The other aerodynamic choices As regards the front wing, Racing Bulls has chosen a slightly spoon-shaped design, whereas Red Bull has opted for an almost straight shape. The presence of two actuators for active aerodynamics in a lateral position (9) is striking, while the competition is limiting itself to a single component hidden under the nose. It is difficult to understand why the Faenza team mounts two elements of aerodynamic disturbance. The hypothesis is that the team favored the free passage of the flows under the nose, and then channeled them directly towards the bottom attack. Unlike Mercedes and Ferrari, on the Racing Bulls the front brake cooling intakes (10) widen beyond the carbon protection structure, maintaining the layout of the recent past. It will be interesting to understand later whether it is simply a different aerodynamic approach, or whether it is a reflection of different cooling needs of the brakes, based on their size and methods of use. Finally, at the rear the VCARB03 shows an opening in the side bulkhead of the diffuser (11), considerably smaller than that of Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull. The Faenza team chose not to introduce too many high-energy flows into the diffuser environment from the outside, preferring to better isolate it from the turbulence of the wheels. Overall, the new Racing Bulls is an intriguing car, with new solutions that distinguish it not only from its sister, but from the entire grid. Its success will also depend on the competitiveness of the Red Bull-Ford power unit, which, however, so far has shown surprising reliability for its absolute debut.