Mercedes technical chief claims W05 matches Red Bull chassis
Aldo Costa says Mercedes’ 2014 Formula One car is as strong as Adrian Newey’s Red Bull RB10, challenging the idea that engine power alone explains Mercedes’ early dominance.
Mercedes’ technical chief Aldo Costa has rejected claims that the team’s early 2014 Formula One dominance is down solely to its new turbo hybrid engine, insisting the W05’s chassis is at least a match for Adrian Newey’s Red Bull RB10.
Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport in April 2014, Costa said Mercedes’ car is “on par” with Red Bull’s in terms of chassis performance, despite widespread paddock opinion that the Silver Arrows’ clear advantage comes from its power unit. Red Bull, running Renault’s troubled V6, has nonetheless remained competitive in the early flyaway races, with many attributing this to Newey’s aerodynamic expertise.
Chassis versus power unit: the 2014 debate
The consensus in the paddock after the opening rounds of 2014 was that Mercedes’ works team had delivered a strong but not extraordinary chassis, with its dominance largely the result of a superior power unit. The new 1.6-litre V6 turbo hybrid regulations had exposed Renault’s weaknesses, leaving Red Bull to rely on aerodynamic efficiency to stay in contention.
Costa challenged this view, saying Mercedes’ own measurements showed the W05’s chassis was competitive with Red Bull’s. “There are certain corners, especially the fast ones, where Red Bull is better than us,” he admitted, “but in other places it is us with the edge.” He also said Ferrari’s chassis lagged behind both Mercedes and Red Bull, based on the team’s data.
Why 2014 cars are slower than 2013
Costa addressed concerns that the new generation of F1 cars appeared slower than their predecessors. He attributed the deficit to three main factors: a 50kg increase in minimum weight, reduced downforce from revised aerodynamic rules, and harder tyre compounds. According to Costa, the engines themselves were compensating for much of the lost lap time, and without these changes, the 2014 cars would have been faster than the 2013 field.
Red Bull’s chassis reputation under scrutiny
Red Bull’s ability to challenge Mercedes in corners, despite a clear straight-line deficit, has reinforced the reputation of Adrian Newey’s RB10 as the class-leading chassis. Costa’s comments suggest Mercedes is keen to ensure its own design team receives credit for the W05’s strengths, not just its engine department. The Italian also dismissed suggestions that the new rules had made Formula One too slow, pointing to the underlying pace masked by regulatory changes.
As the season progressed, Mercedes’ all-round package continued to dominate, but the debate over whether its advantage lay in the engine, chassis, or both persisted among rivals and commentators.
