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Red Bull’s Wind Tunnel Edge: Can Extra Testing Propel Verstappen to a Fifth Straight Title?

Harry Stone by Harry Stone
February 17, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
Red Bull breaks silence on stewards strong ‘decision’ against Max Verstappen Pole – “Let’s see what we can do.”

Formula One F1 - Qatar Grand Prix - Lusail International Circuit, Lusail, Qatar - December 1, 2024 Red Bull's Sergio Perez and Red Bull's Max Verstappen ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix REUTERS/Hamad I Mohammed

After a bruising 2024 season that saw Red Bull slip from untouchable dominance to a vulnerable third place in the Constructors’ Championship, the team now finds itself with an unexpected weapon: extra wind tunnel time.

While many saw Max Verstappen’s relentless crushing of Sergio Perez as a sign of his own supremacy, the team’s dip in form towards the season’s end exposed weaknesses that McLaren and Ferrari ruthlessly exploited. Now, Red Bull aims to turn that slump into a strategic advantage.


A Blessing in Disguise? Red Bull Gets More Development Time

Under Formula 1’s Aerodynamic Testing Restrictions (ATR), teams are allocated wind tunnel and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) testing time based on their finishing position in the Constructors’ Championship.

Since Red Bull dropped to third behind McLaren and Ferrari, they gain an additional 96 wind tunnel runs in the first half of 2025 compared to McLaren—a massive potential advantage in refining their RB21 challenger.

Technical director Pierre Waché is cautiously optimistic.

“It is potentially a big advantage for 2026, and I hope that we use it properly,” Waché stated, acknowledging that the extra time in the wind tunnel doesn’t guarantee success.

However, the big question remains: Should Red Bull pour resources into recovering in 2025, or should they shift their focus to the major regulation overhaul in 2026?


Red Bull’s 2025 Championship Balancing Act

While Red Bull’s 2024 struggles were evident, Waché is confident that the team will be a contender in 2025. But the decision to chase immediate glory or plan for long-term dominance will be a delicate one.

“If we have a chance to fight for the championship in 2025, and I think we will, then you will never throw away a championship,” Waché explained.

In other words, Red Bull isn’t backing down from a fight. But with 2026’s radical rule changes—including the introduction of Red Bull Powertrains’ first in-house engine, which won’t include any Honda intellectual property—the team must tread carefully.

This could be a make-or-break period for Red Bull, balancing:

✅ Maximizing their 2025 package to remain a frontrunner.
✅ Developing their first-ever in-house power unit for 2026.
✅ Retaining Verstappen, amid whispers that Mercedes or Aston Martin could lure him away.


Will Red Bull’s 2025 Car Be a Game-Changer?

Despite the uncertainty, Waché remains confident that extra wind tunnel time will give Red Bull a competitive edge—if used wisely.

“It is a positive aspect of our position, so it can be quite positive,” he added.

With McLaren and Ferrari closing in, Red Bull will need every ounce of performance to avoid a repeat of their late-2024 struggles.

As the team prepares to fight for Verstappen’s fifth consecutive world title, the battle between short-term gain and long-term strategy could define Red Bull’s fate.

Will they strike the perfect balance—or will 2025 be the year their dominance finally crumbles?

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