Red Bull RB16B, 2021

First pictures: Red Bull reveals its new RB16B F1 car for 2021

2021 F1 season

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Red Bull has revealed the first images of its updated chassis for the 2021 F1 season, the RB16B.

Closely based on the car which won the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix two months ago, the RB16B is powered by a Honda engine, in what will be the manufacturer’s final season before leaving Formula 1.

Max Verstappen goes into his seventh season of Formula 1 alongside new team mate Sergio Perez, who has joined Red Bull in place of Alexander Albon.

The technical team behind the RB16B is largely unchanged. Star designer Adrian Newey, who joined Red Bull 15 years ago, remains chief technical officer, leading a team which includes technical director Pierre Wache and head of aerodynamics Dan Fallows.

The RB16B is due to have its first run on-track tomorrow.

Pictures: 2021 Red Bull RB16B

Red Bull RB16B, 2021
Red Bull RB16B, 2021

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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28 comments on “First pictures: Red Bull reveals its new RB16B F1 car for 2021”

  1. I’m looking forward to seeing the updated Honda PU.

    The car doesn’t look too different, but with a regulation/dev freeze that’s to be expected from all teams.

    But why make major changes to a car which won the last race? I hope this will put the Red Bull boys in the mix with Mercedes.

    1. I agree that Honda could be where Red Bull’s hopes of catching Mercedes lie, but I’m still cautious on Honda, they seem to go backwards whenever they supposedly are bringing a revolutionary concept. Happened in 2015 and happened in 2017.

      1. Didn’t happen in 2018, nor 2019.

        1. @aiii They were evolving and honing their concept, I don’t think there was any drastic change in those seasons.

    2. Actually there is a lot changed watch Elvis youtube as he saw lots of things changed (Marc Priestly)
      Nose, cape barge boards, rear package and suppension.

  2. Is the ‘cape’ on the front wing nose bigger than before or is it just me?

    1. It’s much bigger!

  3. The car seems like a safe carryover from the last season, but it looks a bit longer towards the rear end. Maybe new suspension(s) to tackle the Mercedes?

    1. More floor to counteract the loss of area due to this year’s regs

  4. @jesperfey13 It could be, but I would have thought Red Bull’s tokens would be spent on the back-end, as that was the main weakness of the RB16A.

  5. I like the presence of Honda text on the rear wing. I sort of expected Telcel to appear there, though. On the front wing instead, with Claro on the rear wing endplates.

  6. After seeing the DTM cars, I was hoping Red Bull would have a bit of a snazzy rebrand. Shame, they’ve stuck with a livery essentially the same as the last 5 years. Yes, it does look smart. But it’s getting a bit stale. Missed opportunity for me.

    1. As a designer, I think their branding is on point and have the best on the grid. Smart, clean and with a touch of the ‘trouble maker’ feel they’ve always had. I imagine the ‘snazzy rebrand’ will come next year with the new cars. It’ll be an opportunity for everyone to switch it up and go for something different.

  7. Why change a winning formula.

    1. Well, they need to win more often

  8. I’d love to see an overhead shot. Their floor seems to be sticking out much further than others which I didn’t expect as I’d gotten the impression that the floor area at the back needed to be reduced for 2021.

    1. @dbradock Seems to taper inward towards the rear like the others, no?

  9. So it wasn’t communicated to RBR that Livery changes aren’t included in the token usage…

  10. The Honda logo on the rear wing looks the business. Can’t wait to see this car on track with Perez attitude to it.

    Hopefully it’s better than the
    Sauber C31
    VJM09
    RP20

  11. Easy to imagine that part of the PU deal with Honda involved a LOT of trade for advertising space.

    Maybe that’s why RedBull said it didn’t cost them much more than just buying the engines. I had a hard time trying to understand the math behind it. Putting an engine factory together for that purpose alone must be much more expensive.

    Win-win. Honda was going to loose all their investment in F1 anyway, so why not trade part of it for advertising space.

    1. Only Facts! I can see that. I was tempted to say this might be just for these initial pics for the reveal of the car, but then the fact is too that last year they had the Aston Martin logo and name on their rear wing, and of course that won’t be happening this year. So ya, would make sense that this is what we’ll see for the season, and why not. I mean, even though Honda is leaving, but at least leaving them their engines, I think there is likely a ton of respect and honour between RBR and Honda, and RBR I’m sure are proud to have Honda’s name prominently on the car.

      1. Very 80’s and nostalgic. I think it looks amazing.

  12. Encouraged if they are carrying over last year’s car as they usually struggle to get familiar with the car in the beginning of the season, isn’t it. Hopefully now they will be much more up to speed.

    1. For sure, fingers crossed.

  13. Barry Bens (@barryfromdownunder)
    23rd February 2021, 21:12

    Sims must’ve payed a pretty penny for that Telcel logo: AT&T seems to be gone completely. At least from this livery…

    1. Telcel
      Claro
      Inter
      Are all Sergio Perez sponsors. No Tequila, No NEC.

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