Compared to McLaren and Ferrari, the Milton Keynes team will have more wind tunnel and CFD research hours, having finished only third in the Constructors’ Championship. The technical director admits this will be an advantage while also working on the 2026 car, but they will not give up fighting for a fifth consecutive title.
Red Bull won the Drivers’ Championship with Max Verstappen but dropped from first to third place in the 2024 Constructors’ standings. As a result, losing two positions in the team rankings cost Milton Keynes around $25 million in prize money, also drastically reducing the bonus that had been awarded to employees over the past four years with the team title victories.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, tried to see the silver lining, as the team will now have more time available for wind tunnel and CFD work compared to McLaren and Ferrari, who finished ahead of them.
More wind tunnel time in the first six months of 2025
In the first half of the year, Red Bull will have 256 wind tunnel runs and 1,600 CFD tests. In comparison, McLaren will have 224 wind tunnel runs and 200 fewer CFD tests. This is undeniably an advantage, potentially benefiting both the RB21’s development and the 2026 car, as from January 1, the FIA has allowed wind tunnel research for the new regulations.
“It is potentially a great advantage for 2026, and I hope we use it correctly,” Pierre Waché told Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview.
However, Red Bull’s technical director emphasizes that everything depends on data correlation, as their current wind tunnel is somewhat outdated, and a new facility is under construction in Milton Keynes.
“Having more money or more time in the wind tunnel does not automatically mean better performance,” Pierre Waché continues. “Otherwise, the teams at the back of the grid would always be the best the following year. That’s not how Formula 1 works, but it could be an advantage, and we need to use it well. It is a positive aspect of our position and can give us an edge.”
The tough decision: balancing RB21 development and the 2026 car
“You should never throw away a championship”
The choice must be carefully considered, as teams like Aston Martin might focus on the 2026 car earlier, while those with title ambitions in 2025, including Red Bull, must find the right balance—how long should they push development this year before shifting full attention to the new regulations?
“It will also depend a lot on what we discover in our research. If we find strong numbers for 2026, the temptation will be to invest heavily in next year’s car,” Pierre Waché explains. “But if we have a chance to fight for the 2025 championship—and I believe we will—then we will never throw away the opportunity to aim for a fifth consecutive title. It will certainly be a difficult decision. We will set a strategy at the start of the season, but it is very likely to change along the way.”
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