Red Bull's critical F1 2025 design choice

Summary

Red Bull Racing faces a strategic dilemma regarding its 2025 Formula 1 car. Despite leading both championships, the team is no longer the dominant force in F1, with competitors like McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari closing the gap. Red Bull must decide whether to make significant changes to its car concept for 2025 or maintain a steady evolution, considering the massive rule changes set for 2026. The team's focus is to address the car's sensitivity and performance limitations without compromising the overall balance, as decisions made now could significantly impact its performance in the coming seasons.

Takeaways

• 🏎️ Red Bull is facing a critical decision regarding the development of its 2025 Formula 1 car, amidst challenges to its dominance.
• 🔄 Despite winning both championships, Red Bull is no longer the unchallenged force in F1, with competitors like McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari catching up.
• 📉 Sergio Perez's performance has been inconsistent, and Max Verstappen has voiced concerns about the car's development direction.
• 🛠️ Red Bull plans further upgrades for 2024 after the summer break but is cautious about significant changes due to upcoming rule changes in 2026.
• 🔧 The team aims to address the car's weaknesses, such as a narrow operating window and sensitivity, which make it difficult to drive in certain conditions.
• 🌐 Red Bull's car is quick but requires specific conditions to be at its best, unlike McLaren, which has a more versatile performance across various tracks.
• 🔄 The concept of 'asymptoting' is introduced, suggesting that development under current regulations may be reaching a point of diminishing returns.
• 🔄 Red Bull must balance immediate car improvements with long-term planning for 2026, considering the new power units and car designs.
• 💭 The team is considering whether to make aggressive changes to the 2025 car concept, aware of the risks and the need for a global compromise across all F1 tracks.
• 🚫 Red Bull is under pressure due to the cost cap and limited aerodynamic testing resources, which constrains their ability to make bold changes for 2025.
• 🚦 The 2026 rule changes are a significant concern, as they will require substantial R&D, and Red Bull is already at a disadvantage with the least testing resources.

Q & A

What decision is Red Bull facing regarding its 2025 Formula 1 car?

Red Bull is considering whether to make significant changes to its car concept for the 2025 season, given the massive rule changes expected in 2026.

Who is Max Verstappen's closest challenger in the current Formula 1 season according to the script?

Lando Norris of McLaren is Max Verstappen's closest challenger in the current season.

What issue did Sergio Perez face during the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend?

Sergio Perez faced issues with the development path of Red Bull's car, branding it as not good enough, too sensitive, and too slow.

What is the main concern for Red Bull regarding its current car concept?

The main concern is that the Red Bull car has a narrow operating window and is difficult to drive, especially in comparison to the more versatile McLaren.

What are the key weaknesses of the Red Bull RB20 that the team is trying to address?

The RB20 has to run stiff, particularly laterally at the rear, which, combined with its suspension geometry, limits its performance and makes it tricky to drive on bumpy tracks.

What is the term 'asymptoting' as used by Red Bull's chief engineer, Paul Monaghan, referring to?

Asymptoting refers to the idea that as development progresses, the rate of improvement decreases, eventually becoming so small that further gains make no practical difference.

How does the script describe the performance of the Red Bull car in fast corners?

The script describes the Red Bull car as having tremendous aerodynamic efficiency in fast corners, allowing it to carry more wing without losing out in straights, but also mentions a correlation problem that affected its performance.

What is the primary goal for Red Bull in developing the 2025 car?

The primary goal is to create a car with a wider operating window that is easier to drive and offers better performance across a wider range of conditions and tracks.

What challenges does Red Bull face in allocating resources for the development of the 2025 and 2026 cars?

Red Bull faces the challenge of dividing limited resources, such as aerodynamic testing time and budget under the cost cap, between the development of the 2025 car and the more significant changes expected for the 2026 car.

What risks are associated with making a major concept change to the Red Bull car for the 2025 season?

The risks include the possibility that the changes may not yield the expected performance improvements, and that the team might not have enough time to correct any issues before the next regulation cycle begins in 2026.

How does the script suggest Red Bull should approach the development of its 2025 car?

The script suggests that Red Bull should make changes based on sound scientific principles and not panic, focusing on incremental improvements that enhance the car's overall performance and driver friendliness.

Outlines

00:00

🚗 Red Bull's 2025 Formula 1 Car Dilemma

Red Bull Racing faces a crucial decision regarding its 2025 Formula 1 car concept. Once seen as the unchallenged leader in the sport, Red Bull's dominance is now under threat as rivals like McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari catch up. The team has experienced a dip in performance, with driver Max Verstappen's car showing signs of inconsistency, particularly in handling and adaptability across different tracks. As Red Bull navigates the 2024 season with planned upgrades, it must decide whether to stick with its current car concept or make significant changes for 2025, all while balancing the looming regulations changes for 2026.

05:01

🔄 The Strategic Trade-offs for Red Bull

Red Bull must weigh the benefits of modifying its car concept against the potential risks. Although improving the ride and making other changes could enhance performance, the team is cautious about making such adjustments without compromising other strengths. With the 2026 regulation changes on the horizon, Red Bull is focused on maximizing its limited resources across multiple projects, including the development of the 2025 car and preparation for the new power units in 2026. The team aims to maintain a competitive edge without taking unnecessary risks that could lead to a repeat of McLaren's missteps in 2013.

10:02

🌍 The Long-term Implications of Red Bull's Decisions

The decisions being made by Red Bull's engineering team in Milton Keynes are likely to have far-reaching effects on the team's performance for the remainder of 2024, its competitiveness in 2025, and its ability to start strong in 2026 with the new Ford-badged engine. The team is cautious about making aggressive changes, opting for a strategy that balances performance gains with stability, ensuring they remain a top contender in Formula 1 despite the challenges posed by evolving regulations and increasing competition.

Keywords

💡Red Bull's Car Concept

Red Bull's car concept refers to the specific design philosophy and technical approach used in developing their Formula 1 car. The concept is built around maximizing aerodynamic efficiency and downforce, which has allowed them to dominate in recent seasons. However, the script discusses the limitations of this concept, particularly its narrow operating window and difficulty in adapting to different track conditions. This is a central theme as Red Bull must decide whether to stick with this concept or evolve it for the future.

💡Operating Window

The operating window refers to the range of conditions under which a car performs optimally. Red Bull's current car has a narrow operating window, meaning it performs exceptionally well in specific conditions but struggles outside of them. This is contrasted with McLaren's car, which has a wider operating window, making it more adaptable and consistent across different tracks. The challenge for Red Bull is to widen this window without sacrificing overall performance.

💡2026 Rule Changes

The 2026 rule changes refer to the upcoming major alterations in Formula 1 regulations, including new power units and aerodynamic rules. These changes are significant because they will dramatically affect car design and performance. The script emphasizes the importance of Red Bull balancing their focus between the 2024, 2025, and 2026 cars, with the 2026 changes looming large. This adds complexity to their decision-making process for the 2025 car.

💡Aerodynamic Efficiency

Aerodynamic efficiency is the measure of how effectively a car's shape allows it to cut through the air with minimal drag while maximizing downforce. Red Bull's car is known for its high aerodynamic efficiency, which gives it an advantage in high-speed corners, as seen in tracks like Spa. However, this efficiency also comes with challenges, such as maintaining performance across different conditions and tracks. The script discusses how this efficiency is a double-edged sword for Red Bull.

💡CFD and Wind Tunnel Testing

CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and wind tunnel testing are critical tools in F1 for developing and refining a car's aerodynamics. These resources are limited by regulations, and Red Bull, as the top team, has less access to them. The script highlights the strategic importance of allocating these resources wisely, especially with the 2026 regulations in mind. Red Bull's challenge is to maximize their use of these tools to develop their 2025 car without compromising their 2026 efforts.

💡Ride Height

Ride height is the distance between the bottom of the car and the track surface. In F1, lower ride height can increase downforce by improving the car's aerodynamics, particularly through the underfloor Venturi tunnels. However, Red Bull's car must run stiffly with minimal suspension travel to maintain its aerodynamic performance, which can make it difficult to drive on bumpy tracks. The script discusses how Red Bull needs to find a balance in ride height to improve performance without compromising the car's strengths.

💡Asymptoting

Asymptoting refers to the diminishing returns in performance gains as a car's development progresses. In the context of the script, it means that as the current regulations mature, the potential for significant improvements decreases. Red Bull's chief engineer warns that they might be reaching this point, where further development yields only small, incremental gains. This concept is crucial for understanding the challenges Red Bull faces in deciding whether to evolve their car concept for 2025 or focus on 2026.

💡McLaren's All-Rounder Performance

McLaren's all-rounder performance refers to the team's ability to perform consistently well across a variety of track conditions. Unlike Red Bull's more specialized car, McLaren's car has a broader operating window, making it competitive on different circuits. The script contrasts this with Red Bull's approach and poses the question of whether Red Bull should aim for a more balanced performance like McLaren's or stick with their current concept. This is central to the strategic decisions Red Bull must make.

💡Development Path

The development path refers to the ongoing process of refining and improving a Formula 1 car throughout a season and across multiple seasons. Red Bull's development path for the 2024 and 2025 cars is a key focus of the script, particularly in terms of addressing the current car's limitations while also preparing for the 2026 rule changes. The script discusses the risks and rewards associated with different development strategies, including making significant changes to the car concept.

💡Cost Cap

The cost cap is a regulation in Formula 1 that limits the amount of money teams can spend on car development and operations. Introduced to create a more level playing field, the cost cap forces teams to make strategic decisions about where to allocate resources. The script highlights how the cost cap adds another layer of complexity to Red Bull's decision-making process, particularly as they balance development between the 2024, 2025, and 2026 cars while staying within budget limits.

Highlights

Red Bull faces a crucial decision regarding the development of its 2025 Formula 1 car.

Lando Norris of McLaren is emerging as a strong challenger to Max Verstappen.

Red Bull's dominance in F1 is being challenged by other teams like McLaren, Mercedes, and Ferrari.

Sergio Perez is struggling, and Verstappen has voiced concerns about the development of Red Bull's car.

Red Bull is working on upgrades for 2024 and considering significant changes for 2025 amidst rule changes in 2026.

The RB20's performance is limited by its operating window and sensitivity, making it difficult to drive.

McLaren's car is praised for its all-around performance across various conditions and tracks.

Red Bull's car concept requires a stiff setup, affecting its performance on bumpy tracks.

The RB20's aerodynamic efficiency allows it to carry more wing without losing straight-line speed.

Red Bull's chief engineer warns of 'asymptoting', where improvements become minimal over time.

The team must balance addressing weaknesses without compromising other performance aspects.

Red Bull is considering how to achieve the best average performance across all F1 circuits.

The 2026 rule changes will significantly impact car design, requiring teams to plan ahead.

Red Bull has the least aerodynamic testing resources due to its position in the constructor's championship.

The cost cap and limited resources make it challenging to aggressively develop the 2025 car without affecting 2026.

Red Bull must decide between focusing on peak performance or a more consistent performance profile.

The team is aware of the risks associated with making significant changes in the final year of a regulation cycle.

Red Bull's decisions in Milton Keynes will impact the rest of 2024, 2025, and the introduction of their Ford-badged engine in 2026.

Transcripts

Red Bull has a big decision to make

should it stick or twist when it comes

to its 2025 Formula 1 car not long ago

it seemed Red Bull would sail serenely

through 2024 and next season with its

dominance unthreatened McLaren driver

Lando Norris who has emerged as Max

forsten's closest Challenger this season

some this widespread feeling up when

during March's Australian Grand Prix

weekend he warned that there wouldn't be

a proper shakeup in the order until 2026

yet despite Red Bull's still being in

command of both championships it's no

longer f1's dominant Force it's not one

in four races Sergio Perez is

floundering and ven has sounded repeated

warnings about the development path of

Red Bull's car this peaked with his Fury

during last month's Hungarian Grand Prix

weekend when he branded the car not good

enough too sensitive and too slow so

what is to be done well Red Bull is

making the best of what it has for 2024

and there will be further upgrades after

the summer break but with massive rule

changes looming for 2026 dare it risk

making significant changes to its car

concept for next year ideally Red Bull

would have hoped to stay on top with

ease in 2024 then glide through 2025

with a straightforward evolution of the

existing car but there were always

concerns the chasing pack would catch up

McLaren Mercedes and Ferrari have all

won multiple races this year and

Justified that fear Red Bull team

principal argues that this being the

third year of the current regulations

cycle made this almost inevitable work

started some time ago on next year's Red

Bull rb21 the question is how much much

can be done to tackle the weaknesses

that appear to be intrinsic to this car

concept these problems are now well

known when working the Red Bull is still

probably the quickest car in Formula 1

the trouble is that the operating window

is difficult to get into and McLaren in

particular has a car that's capable of

being fast across a wider range of

conditions and tracks you might say that

the Red Bull is still f1's quickest car

but the McLaren is now perhaps its best

thanks to being a true allrounder

according to herner the top priority for

Red Bull is to create a car with a wider

operating window but this is easier said

than done the fundamental problem is

that the Red Bull rb20 is a car that has

to run stiff particularly laterally at

the rear that high level of roll

stiffness combined with relatively long

rear suspension travel for these cars

keeps the aerodynamics working

consistently and combines with the

anti-d front suspension geometry and the

tightly controlled rear suspension to

minimize the chances of pping problems

after all with these cars the key is to

have them as close to the ground as

possible to generate the most downforce

from the underfloor Venturi tunnels

without causing stalling or major

imbalance problems this concept served

Red Bull well for a long time but as

others have closed in it has become more

of a limitation last year or even early

this season Red Bull could raise the

ride height and give away a little

performance to improve the ride but now

it needs to eek out all the downforce it

can that can make the car tricky to

drive and is sometimes a Major

Performance limitation at tracks that

are bumpy like Monaco or those with

plenty of curb riding it also proved to

be a car that hadn't made the expected

gains in fast Corners based on what its

simulation data suggested pointing to a

correlation problem while at Spar vapen

was mighty in the fast Corners that was

a consequence of the car's tremendous

aerodynamic efficiency which allowed it

to carry more Wing than Rivals without

losing out on the Straits so it leaned

on another strength to counteract that

particular weakness in Belgium which

isn't usually possible to make matters

worst even at its best the rest are

closing in at times vapen has been able

to recreate the old Pace Advantage for

example in qualifying an Austrian

Belgium but more often than not it has

been very close Red Bull will make the

best of it this year and there will be

further updates after the August break

but how about the Red Bull

rb21 the rb21 will have been worked on

in parallel with development of the rb20

for some time but the full Focus will by

now have switched to 2025 inevitably as

these regulations mature so the returns

will reduce and Red Bull chief engineer

Paul Monahan has warned that potentially

they might be asymptoting when it comes

to developing under these regulations so

what does he mean by asymptoting well

this refers to the idea that as

development progresses so the rate of

improvement decreases think of it like a

curved line on a graph that becomes

shallower as time passes an ASM toote is

a line that is tending towards a curve

but never quite gets there so in this

case that means the line of theoretical

maximum performance that means you can

continue making incremental progress but

with time this reduces to the point

where the gains are so minuscule that

they make no difference if this is the

case then Red Bull has to decide whether

this is a phenomenon everyone is facing

or not if it is then the game now is

finding tiny gains within that however

Red Bull's concept is a little different

to others so it could be that its car

concept is fundamentally limited

compared to others and it needs a change

to unlock a higher ceiling it's

important to remember that this isn't

just about the ride of the car Red Bull

could focus fully on improving the ride

and end up costing itself performance

vapen has set tackling the ride problem

as a high priority but also warned that

it could take time it's hoped there will

be small gains this year but

realistically it's the 2025 car that

opens up the chance to make bigger

changes Monahan has warned that Red Bull

must not focus on this perceived

weakness at the expense of all other

factors the team will not address any

one performance limitation in deference

to another meaning that it's all about

what is the best Global compromise for

the tracks F1 visits that doesn't mean

that it will shrug and ignore the

problem but it isn't going to focus on

fixing it at the expense of all other

virtues but make no mistake such changes

will have been considered

the key question is how to get the best

average performance across the range of

24 circuits F1 visits in

2025 is it to have a more peaky car like

the current Red Bull that is mighty

sometimes but struggles on other

occasions or a more rounded McLaren type

performance profile with a car that

really has only been undeniably the

quickest on Pace at the hungara ring but

is always right up there however even if

Red Bull answers that question there are

reasons why making such changes might

not be in Red Bull's best interest

despite the possible short-term gains

with the rule changes of 2026

approaching F1 teams currently have

three different cars on their minds the

2024 cars are right at the end of the

design and development process despite

having a few more months of racing but

there's still a little work going into

that after all some of that work can

translate directly to 2025 then there's

the 2025 car that will already be

underway with many key design parameters

already chosen but there's plenty of

time for that to evolve and what Red

Bull is learning now will feed into that

but the key concern is 2026 given how

massive the changes will be with the new

power units and dramatically different

cars with active Aro as well as less

downforce and drag every team will want

to maximize the research and development

time for these cars preliminary work on

these cars were long since have started

but aerodynamic testing is prohibited

until January 1st 2025 therefore teams

will want to use as much of their

permitted wind tunnel and cfd resources

next year on the 2026 car and remember

Red Bull has the biggest disadvantage on

that score currently it has the least

aerodynamic testing thanks to its

permanent residence at the top of the

constructor's championship even if Red

Bull steps behind McLaren in the

Constructor Championship by the end of

the season and it's on target to do so

the 5 percentage Point increase in cfd

and wind tunnel resources won't make a

huge difference combined with the

limitations of the cost cap this means

there simply isn't the development room

to maneuver to go aggressive on 2025

without seriously compromising 2026 as

monah Hanah said it's all about working

out how the avail able resources and

remember there's also the cost cap to

consider a split between these projects

and it needs to do all of this with the

ongoing rumors about the stappen losing

faith in the team and overtures to sign

him for Mercedes as well as the

departure of design genius Adrien

Nei even if Red Bull can find a way to

allocate sufficient resources to make

big changes in 25 without ruining 2026

there is no guarantee it will work

making a change of concept also comes

with significant risk McLaren learned

that with the ill- fated MP 428 of 2013

according to team principal Martin

whitmarsh that was a consequence of

McLaren being greedy and over ambitious

technically for the final year of a

regulation cycle prior to the

introduction of the 1.6 L V6 Turbo

Hybrid engines in 2014 Mclaren opted for

a major concept change that was a big

risk given the change of Direction had

to pay off in one season and the McLaren

was fast in 2012 on average pace it was

actually the quickest car that Lewis

Hamilton fell out to title contention

was largely down to operational errors

and reliability problems but the feeling

was that if McLaren stuck with its

concept others could catch up and to

stay at the front it needed to be more

aggressive and big changes were made the

front of the chassis was raised the

front suspension went from push rod to

pull rod and the side pods were very

different the trouble is the process was

flawed the individual design areas were

well conceived and worked well in

simulation but when the car came

together it didn't work as hoped the car

produced good downforce but it was peaky

it also suffered from underfloor stalls

and lost too much performance when it

had to run run at higher ride heights

McLaren had so many problems that

serious consideration was even given to

bringing back the 2012 car that didn't

happen but McLaren struggled all season

with its work wasted given the all new

car for 2014 drivers Jensen button and

Sergio Perez had a tough year in a car

that never finished higher than fourth

McLaren slipped a fifth in the

championship and fell into the Midfield

in terms of its overall Pace there's

nothing to say Red Bull would suffer

from the same fate but this underlines

the risk of being too aggressive when

you only have one season to make it work

so what will Red Bull do well the one

thing we can be sure of is that it won't

panic and make changes without good

sound science underpinning them it's too

good a team for that McLaren and

Mercedes have come on strong while

Ferrari hopes to get back on track with

a post break upgrade to fix the

purposing problems that have Afflicted

it lately but Red Bull is still in a

strong position it could be that

relatively subtle changes will open up

the window of the car and improve the

driver friendliness and ride as Red Bull

technical director Pierre Vash said

recently it's not just about downforce

gains but allowing the driver to get the

pace out of the car and keep keeping a

good balance but what's clear is that

the decisions being taken in Milton

Kings right now could have a seismic

impact on how the rest of 2024 plays out

Red Bull's chances in 2025 and the

prospects of hitting the ground running

with the new in-house Ford badged engine

in 2026