Horner: 2019 rules an expensive 'mistake'

Red Bull team boss Christian Horner believes that rushing through aero rule changes in 2019 is a "mistake", and that even the owners of Formula 1, Liberty Media, would accept this.

Over the winter, all ten teams have been hard at work preparing their new cars for the 2019 season, after changes were introduced last season in order to increase overtaking.

These changes mean that the cars should have a third less downforce than they had previously, as they force the teams to have much simpler front and rear wings.

This is supposed to improve overtaking because up until now, we saw that the wake generated by a car ahead made it very difficult for cars to follow each other. Due to the lesser levels of downforce, this effect should be reduced, therefore enabling cars to follow each other more closely.

At a media event on Tuesday, Horner told Autosport: “From what we see, the characteristics of the car are slightly different in different areas of the track, but in terms of following each other closely, I don’t think it is going to make any difference whatsoever.

“But, what I think will happen in the early part of the year, is that some people will have got it right, and some people won’t. Then, the development and evolution you have will be on probably quite a steep development graph over the first three or four months of the year."

When asked about how concerning it would be if these rules failed, Horner said: “I think they would even accept that it was probably a mistake to rush through this front wing change for this year.

“They have cherry picked something in isolation off a future concept for 2021, and rushed it through onto the current car.

“Like with all these things, there is no silver bullet. It has to be everything working in harmony with everything else. 

"Just taking a front wing and saying that will make racing better, it is quite a naive and ultimately expensive approach. And of course the burden of that expense is on the teams.”

Except RB, not many others complained about it. Looks like RB's direction for 2019 car is impacted by the new changes, which i think, is good.

  • 1
  • Feb 6 2019 - 22:17

Replies (4)

Login to reply
  • Is this Red Bull for "these rules won't fit us at all, and we won't be producing an as good car as we usually do"?

    • + 0
    • Feb 6 2019 - 19:41
    • Kean

      Posts: 692

      I think they were happy knowing that they had the best car, aerodynamically, last year. They would have much rather refined and tweaked that, rather than starting anew. Probably this is coming from not knowing where they stack up against the competition.

      • + 0
      • Feb 6 2019 - 21:29
  • Except RB, not many others complained about it. Looks like RB's direction for 2019 car is impacted by the new changes, which i think, is good.

    • + 1
    • Feb 6 2019 - 22:17
  • It sounds like he is complaining because they might not have the aero advantage with the standardized wings that they would have if they designed their own.

    • + 0
    • Feb 7 2019 - 21:28

AZ Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

AZAzerbaijan Grand Prix

Local time 

World Championship standings 2025

Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
14 - Mar 16
Australia
21 - Mar 23
China
4 - Apr 6
Japan
11 - Apr 13
Bahrain
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia
2 - May 4
United States of America
16 - May 18
Italy
23 - May 25
Monaco
30 - Jun 1
Spain
13 - Jun 15
Canada
27 - Jun 29
Austria
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom
25 - Jul 27
Belgium
1 - Aug 3
Hungary
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands
5 - Sep 7
Italy
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan
3 - Oct 5
Singapore
17 - Oct 19
United States of America
24 - Oct 26
Mexico
7 - Nov 9
Brazil
21 - Nov 23
United States of America
28 - Nov 30
Qatar
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2025

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
14 - Mar 16
Australia Albert Park
21 - Mar 23
4 - Apr 6
11 - Apr 13
18 - Apr 20
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
2 - May 4
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
16 - May 18
23 - May 25
Monaco Monte Carlo
30 - Jun 1
13 - Jun 15
27 - Jun 29
Austria Red Bull Ring
4 - Jul 6
United Kingdom Silverstone
25 - Jul 27
1 - Aug 3
Hungary Hungaroring
29 - Aug 31
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
5 - Sep 7
Italy Monza
19 - Sep 21
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
3 - Oct 5
17 - Oct 19
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
24 - Oct 26
7 - Nov 9
Brazil Interlagos
21 - Nov 23
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
28 - Nov 30
5 - Dec 7
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

  • Team -
  • Points -
  • Podiums -
  • Grand Prix -
  • Country GB
  • Date of b. Nov 16 1973 (52)
  • Place of b. Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, England, GB
  • Weight 0 kg
  • Length 0 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Show full profile
show sidebar