Red Bull just trying to learn from budget cap penalty

Red Bull Racing is struggling with less wind tunnel time than any other team in Formula 1, not only because they are currently leading in the world championship, but also because the Austrian racing team exceeded its budget cap in 2021. Pierre Waché, technical director, is trying to see the positive side of it as much as possible.

Because Red Bull spent too much money two seasons ago, they are allowed to use 10 per cent less wind tunnel time than they otherwise would have. Waché revealed at the press conference in Canada that it will certainly have an impact on the development of the RB19, but perhaps even more so on next year's car.

Red Bull and the budget cap penalty

So there is definitely a handicap, although not all F1 teams agree. They point to the large lead Red Bull now has, which also means the World Cup leader simply has to do fewer wind tunnel runs to (continue to) win. An advantage, in other words. Debate over whether the penalty is severe enough will always remain, but there is another indirect benefit for the Milton Keynes-based team.

There are fewer resources available this year, but that is precisely what Red Bull is learning from. "Is the 10 per cent (further) reduction affecting us in the number of runs we are doing? We do less [sic] tests, less development but we have to be even more efficient in the way we work. [...] The positive of it is that it is maybe developing even better processes in the system and motivation in the team. When the system is against you, it's interesting to see that it affects you in some good ways. I try to see the positives of it but it's clear it's affecting us [the penalty]," Waché told Sky Sports.