Purple Bull crushed the 2023 season by profitable 21 out of twenty-two grands prix, with its early dominance permitting the staff to carry off on producing many in-season automotive upgrades.
As a substitute, the staff centered most of its assets on 2024, producing a automotive that appears considerably totally different regardless of its predecessor’s successes.
The Milton Keynes squad’s drastic re-design additionally concerned loads of set up adjustments for its Honda energy unit.
“For this 12 months’s Purple Bull automotive, we had been very stunned to see that they modified a lot for the RB20,” Watanabe mentioned.
“Final 12 months we received 21 out of the 22 races collectively, however they nonetheless modified the idea. It’s unbelievable!
“They made loads of requests to adapt our engine to the brand new idea for the RB20. After we noticed the RB20 in actual life we had been so stunned by all of the adjustments that they made.”
Sergio Perez, Purple Bull Racing RB20
Picture by: Andy Hone / Motorsport Images
Along with adapting its mounting factors to the brand new chassis, Honda additionally continued efforts to make its energy unit extra dependable, which Watanabe defined gave Purple Bull extra design freedom to position its cooling options.
“In fact, we can’t improve the facility [under the engine freeze], however we are able to adapt the engine to the brand new machine,” Watanabe mentioned.
“Aside from that, we are able to additionally enhance the reliability of the engine. That’s what we’ve finished over the previous winter.
“This has given Purple Bull extra freedom for his or her design and for his or her aerodynamic idea. That’s the reason they might change the place of the oil coolers, radiators, etcetera.
“Typically final 12 months we had a threat to break the facility unit that didn’t develop into massive hassle ultimately, however we at all times must minimise the danger.
“That’s the reason we’ve made our greatest effort to enhance the reliability of the engine even additional for this 12 months.”