Making the floor work harder
The RB9 refined the high-rake architecture Red Bull had developed since 2009. Its Coanda-effect exhaust guided hot gas towards the diffuser edges and rear brake ducts, helping seal the underfloor flow. Deep sidepod undercuts, disciplined vortex control and carefully managed ride height kept rear downforce stable, allowing Vettel to use the throttle as an aerodynamic tool as well as an accelerator.