One bad… for a lot of good? Certainly, Red Bull lost its Constructors' crown, finishing only third in the championship behind McLaren and Ferrari, but it may have won something else elsewhere. That other thing is time. A lot of time. And in Formula 1, it goes without saying that time is precious! Indeed, thanks to its third place in the Manufacturers' championship, Red Bull is granted more time in the wind tunnel and in CFD (digital fluid mechanics simulation) than McLaren and Ferrari, as established in the sporting regulations of the discipline. And with a view to 2026 and the introduction of the new technical regulations, time will be very, very expensive in 2025!
Indeed, for several years, the teams have obtained a limited time in the wind tunnel and in CFD which corresponds to their classification in the Manufacturers' championship. This is defined twice during the year: a first time for the period January 1 – June 30 based on the ranking of the previous season, and a second time for the period July 1 – December 31 established on the current ranking seasonal until June 30. A coefficient is thus applied according to the position of the teams in the championship, on the following basis: 320 passages in the wind tunnel, 400 hours of occupation of the wind tunnel, 80 hours of operation of the wind tunnel and 2000 CFD tests on an ATP ( Aerodynamic Testing Period, or aerodynamic testing period in French), lasting eight to nine weeks.
Red Bull, 120 hours ahead of McLaren…
Thus, as indicated in Article 6 of Appendix 7 of the FIA Sporting Regulations, with its third place in the Constructors' Championship in 2024, Red Bull will be entitled to a coefficient of 80% on the restricted wind tunnel tests, when McLaren will be limited to 70% and Ferrari to 75%. This therefore represents a gap of 120 hours on the use of the wind tunnel in favor of Red Bull (960 hours) against McLaren (840 hours) on the first three ATPs, which corresponds to the first six months of the year 2025. Red Bull will also be entitled to 768 wind tunnel passes, compared to 672 for McLaren and 720 for Ferrari. A serious advantage for the Austrian team, which will therefore have much more time to develop its 2026 single-seater… even if, let us remember, a new table will be established at mid-season for the period July 1 – December 31 .
This rule on gradual restrictions on aerodynamic wind tunnel testing, established to favor and help the least performing teams, will therefore have major importance in 2025, the year when the development of F1 2026 will be crucial. And Max Verstappen is well aware of that… “That, I suppose, is a positive point, he declared in Abu Dhabi on this subject. We won the Drivers' title, we didn't win the constructors, so we gained a little time in the wind tunnel. In a way, maybe it's positive. » Moreover, all teams have the authorization – since January 1, 2025 – to work on next year's mount in the wind tunnel and in CFD, and the vast majority of teams will shift the majority of resources to the 2026 development very early in the 2025 season.
A third place not so handicapping…
Also, taking this into account, we could question ourselves and wonder if Red Bull did not voluntarily slow down at the end of the 2024 season to ensure more time in the wind tunnel in 2025. The Austrian team, which has secured the Drivers' title from the Las Vegas Grand Prix, two races from the end of the season, would she have sacrificed her end of the championship to secure 3rd place among the Manufacturers? Could this be the implicit reason why Sergio Pérez was kept until the last Grand Prix of the year despite abysmal performances? Obviously, it is difficult to say this as the financial stakes are even greater, where each position won in the championship can bring in several million euros. However, with the departure of Adrian Newey and the difficulties encountered in the development of the RB20, Red Bull obviously had every interest in obtaining additional time in the wind tunnel… See you in 2026 to find out if this was beneficial to them or not !
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