Peter Bayer, AlphaTauri Formula 1 team CEO, admitted to a huge “error” while opting for self suspension development rather than taking from Red Bull.
AlphaTauri find itself in struggling waters with an noncompetitive AT04 car. But with continuous updation program it managed to bring itself back to the midfield fight.
Additionally, it retreats from its developed suspension and went for Red Bull’s RB19 in Singpore Grand Prix. It stabilized the car which yielded the floor upgradation program.
It helped both driver, Yuki Tsunoda and Daniel Ricciardo, to progress in the championship. This helped the team to managed eighth place on constructors championship.
“The initial decision to go our own way with those critical parts simply was an error. The people [who made the decision] back then are not with us anymore,” Bayer told.
“I guess engineers always have plenty of arguments why you should do certain things. But I think everybody in the paddock understood now that with this new regulation change and the new downforce pattern, which is so reliant on the floor, the suspension is the next most important thing.
“You’ve got the floor and then you’ve got the suspension. If those two don’t work together, you might as well not go out.”
Bayer added regarding the team ambitions to challenge Red Bull in future. He grinned: “I guess that’s the big learning for us for this year, yeah.
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“But at the same time, what is tricky for us as a customer is you get a piece. But you have to make that piece work and it’s very difficult.
“Look at some other teams who have hired ex-Red Bull aerodynamicists and engineers, they made some quick gains. But then constant development is not as easy as it looks.
“We’ve seen in Singapore something seemed to work slightly better, but we weren’t really sure. And that’s one of the key aspects of [technical director] Jody [Egginton’s] team, they put a lot of effort into understanding the global concept.
“How can it be actually possible that this [Red Bull] car is so stable, that it has this ability in slow corners, fast corners, straight-line speed? And that’s where Jody and the guys sort of had a breakthrough moment.”
