One aspect of Red Bull RB20 launch car was reportedly ‘very much a fake’

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Red Bull Racing were the final Formula 1 team to launch their new car ahead of the 2024 season, but one aspect of the car everyone saw was almost certainly fake.

Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez will be desperate for the RB20 to be as dominant as the RB19 last year.

Speaking on the Autosport Podcast, journalist Alex Kalinauckas shared what journalists were saying when they first saw the new car.

Red Bull 2024 launch car almost certainly had one fake part

The start of the 2024 car launch season was preceded by the huge news that Lewis Hamilton would be leaving Mercedes at the end of the season to head to Ferrari.

The repercussions of that news will last for years, but he was forced to make arguably the most drastic move of his career by the dominance of Red Bull.

The seven-time world champion has failed to win a race since 2021 and Mercedes didn’t stand on the top step of the podium once last year.

Max Verstappen was virtually unstoppable in 2023, with Sergio Perez unable to beat him after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and only Carlos Sainz preventing Red Bull from winning every single race.

They now have the unenviable task of improving on last year’s performance and that leads us to the RB20.

Many teams have taken inspiration from last year’s car, but Red Bull unveiled a car that does have some drastic differences.

However, Kalinauckas believes that the Red Bull launch car was fitted with one part that was very likely fake.

They didn’t want to give away all of their secrets ahead of testing starting in Bahrain on Wednesday.

Red Bull aiming to dominate Formula 1 once again in 2024

Speaking about the latest offering from Adrian Newey and co, Kalinauckas said: “The car that everybody’s seen today is the launch spec car, it’s what the team start the season with.

“It’s very much not got its real floor on it. I think the chatter amongst everybody gathered here was that very much a fake floor, it looked like it was absolutely solid.

“I just can’t imagine they would waste the carbon fibre on it, but yeah don’t expect the team to be starting the season with that.”

We will have to wait until Red Bull take to the track in Bahrain to see what their real floor looks like after the fake one fitted to the launch car.

It’s not a surprise that Red Bull didn’t share the exact car that will be competing this season as many teams take the same approach.

Williams, for example, only shared their new livery at their launch event.

Red Bull – aside from trying to win another championship – also have to make a call on Sergio Perez’s future.

The Mexican has admitted that’s not his main focus but it’ll certainly be in the back of his mind and those of his rivals who would love to drive for Red Bull going forward.