Breaking news:Double Verstappen boost as Red Bull gain ‘big advantage’ over....Read more

Double Verstappen boost as Red Bull gain ‘big advantage’ over McLaren and Ferrari

Red Bull’s technical director, Pierre Waché, has stated that the team’s additional wind tunnel runs,

compared to McLaren and Ferrari, could provide a “potentially big advantage” for the 2025 season, though he stressed the importance of using them wisely. The aerodynamic testing restrictions (ATR) in Formula 1 give the lowest-performing team in the Constructors’ Championship the most wind tunnel runs for the first half of the following season. With Red Bull finishing third in the 2024 season, they will have 96 more wind tunnel runs than 2024 champions McLaren in the first six months of 2025.

This wind tunnel advantage could play a crucial role as teams work to develop their cars, especially with the added challenge of preparing for significant regulation changes in 2026. These changes will overhaul the chassis and power unit rules, meaning that teams will have to balance development of their current cars with forward-looking preparations for the new regulations. Waché believes that while it will be important for Red Bull to stay competitive with their 2025 car, the majority of the team’s efforts will likely shift to the 2026 car as the season progresses. This creates a unique challenge for teams to strike the right balance between in-season development and long-term strategy.

Waché acknowledged that deciding how to allocate resources between these two priorities will be a difficult decision for Red Bull. He stated that the strategy they choose at the start of the season could change based on developments during the year. The success of their strategy will depend largely on the data they gather and the issues they identify with their current car.

Despite the increased wind tunnel time, Waché made it clear that having more wind tunnel runs does not automatically guarantee on-track success. While the extra time could help Red Bull develop a better car for the 2026 regulations, he emphasized that the key to success lies in how effectively the additional time is utilized. Simply having more resources, such as additional wind tunnel runs or a bigger budget, does not guarantee improved performance. If that were the case, teams further down the grid would always outperform the front-runners the following season, which is not how Formula 1 works.

In conclusion, while Red Bull’s additional wind tunnel time could be an advantage in the long run, especially for their 2026 car, it will depend on how they use this time and the strategy they adopt for 2025. Waché’s comments reflect the complex balancing act that teams face when dealing with both immediate and future technical challenges in Formula 1.