The 2024 Formula 1 season has been a real rollercoaster for Red Bull Racing, a team that started the year with an impressive performance but faltered along the way, encountering balance issues and inaccuracies in the wind tunnel. Although the genius of Max Verstappen kept the team afloat, cracks in Red Bull's armor became increasingly visible, ultimately costing them the Constructors' Championship.
A Dominant Start That Masked Underlying Problems
Red Bull's early season dominance seemed to lay the foundations for another banner year. Max Verstappen achieved three 1-2 finishes in the first four races, leading the RB20 to seven victories in the first 10 rounds. However, according to technical director Pierre Wache, this domination surprised even the team.
“We were more surprised at the start of the season because of the gap we had,” Wache explained. “We expected the whole season to be like the end of the season, a big battle with the others.”
The initial success masked deeper problems related to the car's balance and aerodynamic efficiency. Midway through the season, Red Bull's performance began to collapse, beginning an incredible 10-race winless streak. Misdirected updates have exacerbated the RB20's inherent balance flaws, exposing vulnerabilities on circuits requiring strong curb crossing abilities, such as Monaco.
The Correlation Crisis
The heart of Red Bull's problems was a mismatch between wind tunnel simulations and on-track performance. Wache revealed that the team's aging wind tunnel model was a significant factor in their struggles:
“We had a loss of downforce in certain areas of the map… It's a correlation issue, and in terms of performance on the track, it was mainly a balance issue.”
Improvements introduced mid-season did not perform as expected, leading to a noticeable drop in competitiveness. This was particularly evident on circuits with uneven surfaces, where Red Bull struggled to extract lap times compared to rivals like McLaren and Mercedes.
A Reluctance to Change
Although Red Bull identified the problems early on, their initial success made them hesitant to implement drastic changes. “When we came back to Europe and McLaren challenged us more, it became more apparent that [l’équilibre] was one of the biggest problems for us to go faster,” admitted Wache.
By the time the team pivoted to address these flaws, the damage was done. Verstappen continued to extract maximum potential from the car, but Sergio Perez's disappointing performance—19 races without a podium—underscored the RB20's limitations.
Validation at the end of the season in Qatar
Despite the season's struggles, Red Bull found some redemption at the Qatar Grand Prix. Verstappen's victory at Lusail proved that the team can still produce a competitive package in the right conditions. “In Qatar the car had the same characteristics and we were able to win fairly and create the fastest car for that circuit,” noted Wache.
The victory reaffirmed Red Bull's decision not to revert to an earlier specification, showing that their problems were relative to the unique demands of each circuit rather than a complete failure of their concept.
Looking towards 2025
As Red Bull prepares for the 2025 season, the team has acknowledged its shortcomings and committed to correcting them. Key areas of focus include improving aerodynamic correlation and resolving balance inconsistencies. Wache admitted:
“These elements were still present at the end of the season, and we need to correct them for 2025.”
The season served as a wake-up call for Red Bull, proving that even the most dominant teams must continually innovate and adapt. With Verstappen still at the helm and learning from their 2024 mistakes, Red Bull aims to return to the top of both championships next year.
