According to Peter Bayer, the team’s decision to develop its own suspension was a mistake.
AlphaTauri CEO Peter Bayer stated that by not borrowing Red Bull’s RB19 rear suspension for their AT04 F1 car, the team missed an opportunity to improve rear stability in the first half of the 2023 season. The decision to swap suspensions following the Singapore Grand Prix was successful.
The Italian team had a relatively uneventful start to the season in the run-up to the summer break, as it was unable to move its car up the order. The removal of Nyck de Vries and the selection of Daniel Ricciardo, who faced a temporary retirement due to an injury, added to the inconsistency, paving the way for rookie driver Liam Lawson.
The car eventually settled down as the driver lineup settled down, thanks to the floor upgrades AlphaTauri introduced. In Singapore, the team installed the RB19’s rear suspension, which greatly improved the stability of the AT04’s tail section. The positive step complemented the team’s floor improvements.
As a result, the car began to show its true colors later in the season, assisting the team to an eighth-place finish, narrowly missing out on passing Williams. This turnaround came after spending the majority of the season at the bottom of the standings.
Speaking about the erroneous decision, the CEO stated that Red Bull’s rear suspension should have arrived much sooner. However, a poor decision proved costly. He explained to Autosport.com
