Maltese heads Red Bull F1 aerodynamics department

Formula One enthusiasts with no team preference have two good reasons to root for Red Bull this year. The new car has impressed in testing, and one of the brains behind it is Maltese.

Andrew Sammut Alessi is Head of Aero Design at Red Bull Technology, responsible for the aerodynamics of the Red Bull and Toro Rosso Formula One cars.

Aerodynamics are one of the most important elements of the design of an F1 car, and this year has been particular challenging for designers because of a raft of rule changes introduced by the FIA, the motorsport governing body.

Mr Sammut Alessi, who works closely with design genius Adrian Newey, told Pierre Vella that Red Bull have adopted a different approach to the design of this year's car, compared to McLaren and Ferrari, although he still sees the aerodynamics as conservative.

The new Red Bull car has raised eyebrows because of its novel suspension arrangement aimed at better weight distribution. It has also been universally judged as the 'best looking' of this year's F1 cars. But Mr Sammut Alessi insisted that one could only know where the team stood relative to the others at the first race in Melbourne next month.

He will be guest speaker on Sunday at a presentation on the new Formula One season which will be held at the Westin at 10 a.m. The event is open to all.