12/01/2024
NEWS STORY
A report in Italian media claims that Red Bull's 2024 contender has failed its first crash test, with Helmut Marko insisting that this is no bad thing.
The Italian version of Motorsport.com claims that the RB20 failed its initial frontal crash test, which, like those for rear and side, are subjected to numerous simulations to determine that they can withstand the forces encountered in crashes.
However, it should be stressed that there has been no confirmation of the report from either Red Bull or the FIA.
While failing the initial test is not unusual, with the RB18 having failed its initial test in 2022 as the rules overhaul came into effect, it gives the Austrian team and its rivals food for thought.
On the other hand, Helmut Marko has said that failing the test isn't always a bad thing as it shows that a team is pushing the envelope.
"If we had passed the first crash test, that would be precisely the problem," he told F1 Insider. "Then we wouldn't have done well!"
Meanwhile, Motorsport Italia claims that Ferrari's 2024 contender, initially designated the 676 and due to be unveiled on 13 February, successfully passed its homologation tests at the CSI centre in Bollate before Christmas.