James Allison: Mercedes yet to 'figure out' Red Bull's new design

Red Bull's unveiling of the RB20 sparked intrigue within the Formula 1 community due to its notable departure from conventional design elements, presenting a series of bold and unconventional modifications compared to its predecessor.

A standout feature of the RB20 is its distinctive engine cover bodywork, characterised by a raised waistline and extensive gulleys stretching along the car's length from the halo.

This design bears resemblance to Mercedes' previous W14 challenger, leading to speculation that Red Bull may be inclined towards adopting a comprehensive 'zeropod' concept in the early stages of 2024.

The evolution of Red Bull's engineering has not gone unnoticed by rival teams, with Allison conceding that Mercedes is yet to decipher the full extent of the reigning world champions' innovations.

"Well, I would deeply love to be invited into the Red Bull garage and to take the engine cover off and delve around under those sort of 'snorkelly' things," he told Sky F1.

"There's definitely a different approach being taken there because what glimpses you see of their cooling system, it's definitely not light and svelte.

"So they're doing that for a reason, and I'd love to know what that reason is, but we haven't figured it out yet."

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