Christian Horner gives a major insight into Red Bull’s plan to tackle the wind tunnel penalty

Despite reduced wind tunnel time, Red Bull has been a dominant force this F1 season.

Christian Horner gives a major insight into Red Bull’s plan to tackle the wind tunnel penalty

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner (Image credit: The Sports Rush)

Red Bull was penalized for breaching the 2021 cost cap with a wind tunnel penalty. The Milton-Keynes team saw a 10% reduction in car testing time and a $7 million fine. Initial effects on RB19 seem slight after the Bahrain opener. As the season proceeds, their wind tunnel time will run out, while others will still have that advantage.

Christian Horner mentioned that Red Bull had the development penalty until October and noted that it was reflected in the wind tunnel. He pointed out that the teams in second and third place had the advantage of conducting more runs.

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He emphasized the importance of the team in Milton Keynes being discerning and praised their ability to do so effectively. While also highlighting the need to avoid becoming disheartened.

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“We also have the development penalty until October and we see that reflected in the wind tunnel. Others, in second and third place, can perform many more runs than us. However, we have to remain selective and the team in Milton Keynes does that very well. We can’t despair,” Horner said, as reported by Racingnews.360.

Also read: Max Verstappen unveils the ‘key factor’ behind Red Bull’s dominance

Christian Horner shares insights on Red Bull’s rivalry philosophy

Christian Horner and Frederic Vasseur (Image credit: PlanetF1)

Presently, the team rooted in Milton Keynes enjoys a substantial edge. In the inaugural event of the 2023 season, Max Verstappen surged to the forefront right at the race start, effortlessly securing his first victory as he breezed across the finish line. However, as the season unfolds, the necessity for teams to introduce car enhancements looms.

Christian Horner mentioned that he doesn’t pay excessive attention to the teams trailing behind them. He emphasized that they will determine the specific teams currently in that position on a race-by-race basis. He stated that their approach is to maintain concentration and strive for a successful weekend.

“I don’t look too much at who is behind us; who that actually is at the moment we’re going to see from race to race. All we can do is keep the focus and have a good weekend,” Horner concluded.

Ferrari grappled with speed shortcomings and reliability setbacks, while Mercedes grappled within the middle of the pack. Aston Martin emerged as the sole team to unveil a noteworthy upgrade. Meanwhile, Red Bull leads the drivers’ and constructors’ standings by a huge margin this season.

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