SUTTON

Getting under the skin of the F1 car they all have to beat

Just what is it that makes the Red Bull RB19 so good? That’s a question several rival designers in the Formula 1 paddock are doubtless asking themselves and is one we take on in this issue.

Jake Boxall-Legge looks at how the car is an improvement over the championship-winning and record-breaking RB18, as well as the team and driver factors that make Red Bull so hard to beat (page 18). Perhaps even more interestingly for neutral fans, he also ponders where Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez could be vulnerable in 2023.

Le Mans will celebrate its centenary in June and we’re already kicking off our celebration of the greatest endurance race in the world. In the first of our Le Mans 100 series on the major manufacturers taking on the 2023 24 Hours (p28), Gary Watkins reveals Toyota’s relationship with the event and why winning this year is so important for a team that has won the past five Le Mans contests.

A popular venue that is no more, at least from a motorsport point of view, is Pukekohe. Andrew van Leeuwen looks at why the former New Zealand Grand Prix venue was so special with a driver who famously made the place his own two decades ago (p34)…

Goodwood Circuit was revived 25 years ago and Paul Lawrence is your guide to the Members’ Meeting in our preview on p38.

The Easter weekend was a big one for UK motorsport and our 19-page National section covers the highlights from p49.

Kevin Turner Chief Editor kevin.turner@autosport.com

NEXT WEEK 20 APRIL The rise of Aston Martin Fernando Alonso’s latest

F1 challenge, plus our bumper BTCC preview

Have your say, get in touch

Autosport editorial Autosport Media UK Ltd

The Power House

Isleworth TW7 6QG

@ E-mail autosport@ autosport.com

Visit our website autosport.com

Twitter twitter.com/ autosport

Facebook facebook.com/

autosport

Instagram instagram.com/

autosport

YouTube youtube.com/ AUTOSPORTdotcom

Cover image Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool

PIT & PADDOCK 4 Massa bids to get 2008 title overturned 6 Verstappen fury over new sprint format 8 Azcona leads Hyundai World Tour attack 10 Aitken among Formula E rookie testers 13 Opinion: Alex Kalinauckas 15 Opinion: Jamie Klein 17 Feedback: your letters

FEATURES 18 Secrets of Red Bull’s F1 supremacy 28 Le Mans 100: Toyota’s point to prove 34 Farewell Pukekohe 38 Goodwood Members’ Meeting preview

RACE CENTRE 43 World of Sport: Super Formula; NASCAR

CLUB AUTOSPORT 51 Major GP cars join Silverstone 75 grid 52 Trucks to introduce sustainable fuels 54 O’Donovan wins British RX opener 57 Opinion: Stephen Lickorish 58 National reports: Oulton Park; Brands Hatch; Snetterton; Donington Park; Castle Combe

FINISHING STRAIGHT 70 What’s on this week 72 From the archive: 1993 Portuguese GP 74 My favourite car: Alexander Wurz

SUBSCRIPTION OFFER 56 Special deals for Autosport

VISIT AUTOSPORT.COM For other ways to read Britain’s best motorsport weekly

13 APRIL 2023 AUTOSPORT.COM 3