Red Bull RB18

[Henk_v]

That is an old spec bib.

[gandharva]

2 months old. Bahrain.

[Wouter]

Red Bull legt in Spanien auch wieder nach. Chefberater Helmut Marko zu F1-Insider.com: „Dort starten wir mit neuen Teilen, mit denen wir endlich auf unser Optimalgewicht kommen können. Bisher lagen wir relativ deutlich über dem geforderten Mindestgewicht von 798 Kilogramm.“

Translated:
Red Bull is also back in Spain. Chief adviser Helmut Marko to F1-Insider.com: “We start there with new parts,
with which we can finally reach our optimum weight.
So far we were relatively well above the required minimum weight of 798 kilograms.”

From the Ferrari site:
Car
Total weight including water, lubricants and driver: 795 kg

German: https://f1-insider.com/formel-1-red-bul ... ung-44044/

English: https://1-f1--insider-com.translate.goo ... r_pto=wapp

[Juzh]

Red Bull legt in Spanien auch wieder nach. Chefberater Helmut Marko zu F1-Insider.com: „Dort starten wir mit neuen Teilen, mit denen wir endlich auf unser Optimalgewicht kommen können. Bisher lagen wir relativ deutlich über dem geforderten Mindestgewicht von 798 Kilogramm.“

Translated:
Red Bull is also back in Spain. Chief adviser Helmut Marko to F1-Insider.com: “We start there with new parts,
with which we can finally reach our optimum weight.
So far we were relatively well above the required minimum weight of 798 kilograms.”

From the Ferrari site:
Car
Total weight including water, lubricants and driver: 795 kg

German: https://f1-insider.com/formel-1-red-bul ... ung-44044/

English: https://1-f1--insider-com.translate.goo ... r_pto=wapp

This limit has been raised to 798 kg.

[SirBastianVettel]

Red Bull is also back in Spain. Chief adviser Helmut Marko to F1-Insider.com: “We start there with new parts,
with which we can finally reach our optimum weight.
So far we were relatively well above the required minimum weight of 798 kilograms.”

Wouldn't the optimal weight be well below the minimum required weight so you have some freedom in where you place ballast? If they are exactly on the limit and can't use ballast it makes setting up the car more difficult, does it not?

[Wouter]

Red Bull legt in Spanien auch wieder nach. Chefberater Helmut Marko zu F1-Insider.com: „Dort starten wir mit neuen Teilen, mit denen wir endlich auf unser Optimalgewicht kommen können. Bisher lagen wir relativ deutlich über dem geforderten Mindestgewicht von 798 Kilogramm.“

Translated:
Red Bull is also back in Spain. Chief adviser Helmut Marko to F1-Insider.com: “We start there with new parts,
with which we can finally reach our optimum weight.
So far we were relatively well above the required minimum weight of 798 kilograms.”

From the Ferrari site:
Car
Total weight including water, lubricants and driver: 795 kg

German: https://f1-insider.com/formel-1-red-bul ... ung-44044/

English: https://1-f1--insider-com.translate.goo ... r_pto=wapp

.
This limit has been raised to 798 kg.

.
Yes, I know, but the Ferrari now weights 795 kg according to their site.

See "Car" and click on the +.

https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/formula1/ ... eater-2022

[Cassius]

Translated:
Red Bull is also back in Spain. Chief adviser Helmut Marko to F1-Insider.com: “We start there with new parts,
with which we can finally reach our optimum weight.
So far we were relatively well above the required minimum weight of 798 kilograms.”

From the Ferrari site:
Car
Total weight including water, lubricants and driver: 795 kg

German: https://f1-insider.com/formel-1-red-bul ... ung-44044/

English: https://1-f1--insider-com.translate.goo ... r_pto=wapp

.
This limit has been raised to 798 kg.

.
Yes, I know, but the Ferrari now weights 795 kg according to their site.

See "Car" and click on the +.

https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/formula1/ ... eater-2022

A bit naïve to think Ferrari is continuously updating the weight of their car here. This is just the original minimum weight of the 2022 car before the 3kg increase.

[ME4ME]

Red Bull is also back in Spain. Chief adviser Helmut Marko to F1-Insider.com: “We start there with new parts,
with which we can finally reach our optimum weight.
So far we were relatively well above the required minimum weight of 798 kilograms.”

Wouldn't the optimal weight be well below the minimum required weight so you have some freedom in where you place ballast? If they are exactly on the limit and can't use ballast it makes setting up the car more difficult, does it not?

It's difficult to say what's optimal, it's a number exercise. If you design a car which is underweight for the sake of ballast than you're missing out on functional weight, such as stiffness and rigidity in places such as the tub or suspension members. Or simply more robust components / wear items in the drivetrain. Or larger radiators.
It's a complex equation. Personally I think ballast is quite long down on the list of priorities. But for sure it has some value.

[dxpetrov]

In F1, the optimal weight is ALWAYS the minimum weight. Make no doubts about it.

[SiLo]

In F1, the optimal weight is ALWAYS the minimum weight. Make no doubts about it.

Well the optimal weight is just whatever finds them the most performance. And a lot of the time that is well below the minimum weight so they can tactically place weight around the car to help balance and improve performance.

[Spoutnik]

[SirBastianVettel]

Well, if the car is already overweight than I can understand why they would choose not to install it. I expect even the drivers to choose to race without a drink bottle if it makes the car faster. Once Red Bull manages to make the RB18 weigh less than the required minimum weight they will add a drink bottle again.

[Rodak]

Red Bull is also back in Spain. Chief adviser Helmut Marko to F1-Insider.com: “We start there with new parts,
with which we can finally reach our optimum weight.
So far we were relatively well above the required minimum weight of 798 kilograms.”

Wouldn't the optimal weight be well below the minimum required weight so you have some freedom in where you place ballast? If they are exactly on the limit and can't use ballast it makes setting up the car more difficult, does it not?

It's difficult to say what's optimal, it's a number exercise. If you design a car which is underweight for the sake of ballast than you're missing out on functional weight, such as stiffness and rigidity in places such as the tub or suspension members. Or simply more robust components / wear items in the drivetrain. Or larger radiators.
It's a complex equation. Personally I think ballast is quite long down on the list of priorities. But for sure it has some value.

Ballast could be really useful in achieving the required front/rear weight balance. I've never understood why the balance regulation exists.

[Wouter]

Well, if the car is already overweight than I can understand why they would choose not to install it.
I expect even the drivers to choose to race without a drink bottle if it makes the car faster. Once Red Bull manages to make the RB18 weigh less than the required minimum weight they will add a drink bottle again.

.
RBR who chooses to let their drivers drive the race without drinking at such extremely high temperatures? Are you kidding?
Max and Checo would never agree to that or want to themselves.

This is just an idea/guess of Robert Doornbos who was allowed to drive three races for RBR a long time ago (2006).
He always pretends that he knows a lot about current F1, but he doesn't.

[Baulz]

I would expect it to be a driver choice, and drivers will always choose what makes the car go faster.