“We have replicated concepts” admits Adrian Newey, arguably the greatest Formula 1 car designer in several decades. In the world of Formula 1, stealing ideas from competitors is a common practice. Red Bull has now come forward and revealed that they have also replicated concepts from other teams.

It’s reminiscent of the school days of yonder, when a quick glance at a neighbor’s paper would provide the solution you were seeking. Formula 1 is often similar. This year, many teams have been closely studying Red Bull, copying Newey’s car.

And for good reason as the cars driven by Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez have proven to be the fastest in the entire field.

Red Bull opens up about copying

Chief Red Bull Racing designer Adrian Newey sees no issue with other Formula 1 teams adopting ideas from Red Bull, and he openly acknowledges that Red Bull has also replicated concepts from their competitors.

One of the bigger news stories that have dominated recent headlines in Formula 1 is the underbody of the RB19, driven by Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.

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Monaco reveals Red Bull secrets

During the Monaco Grand Prix, all teams were given the opportunity to closely examine the underbody. At that time, Perez’s car was lifted by a track crane. One team benefited the most from this incident: Mercedes had positioned a photographer at the scene, who took pictures of the car’s underbody.

With this move, the Mercedes team hopes to obtain a replica of the underbody to incorporate it into their own W14 car. This is just one example among many in the pinnacle of motorsport.

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“A true compliment…”

Stealing ideas from competitors is quite normal. For Red Bull, it’s not a concern, as design expert Adrian Newey reveals.

“It’s a true compliment when people imitate you. It’s part of Formula 1. We all observe one another. The reality is: we have also replicated concepts from other teams,” Newey told Sky Italia.

“In the end, you have to directly replicate something”

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How Red Bull copy others

According to Newey, there are two ways to replicate ideas. Firstly, there’s the straightforward method of “copying” through TV footage. You either capture the images yourself or notice the details while walking through the Formula 1 paddock.

It can also happen when “people change teams. We’ve witnessed that this year,” explains Newey, as former employees sometimes pass on ideas from their previous teams to their new teams.

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“It’s part of Formula 1, it’s intense competition. You can’t let pride get in the way, and you always have to evaluate what other teams are doing. Eventually, you either directly replicate something or question why they did something and then do it differently,” states the British designer.

When Newey strolls through the paddock, he carefully examines other cars. “Most of the time, it’s like, ‘That looks interesting. Let’s see how our car looks in that area and get an idea of how we can develop our car,'” explains Newey.

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