Red Bull Ramps Up Team Effort And Wind Tunnel Development To Raise 'Ceiling' Amid Adrian Newey Exit

Saajan Jogia | Aug 18, 2024

May 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Crewmembers push the car of Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez (11) on the grid before the F1 Sprint Race at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports / John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports

Red Bull technical director Pierre Waché emphasized the strength of his team by asserting that its success isn't the result of any one individual but rather the collective effort of the entire group. He also revealed significant investment into a new state-of-the-art wind tunnel to raise the performance ceiling of its title contender.

Waché signed a new contract with Red Bull, taking on the responsibility for developing the team's car for 2026 when the new power unit regulations are introduced. However, Red Bull sails through troubled waters of the 2024 season, which started with a report of a controversy surrounding team principal Christian Horner before the season even began, followed by the reports of an internal power struggle between him and senior advisor Helmut Marko.

What followed after the first five races of the season was the resurgence of rival teams Ferrari, McLaren, and Mercedes, offering Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez a tough fight, as the team experienced a phase of diminishing returns. The current Standings, where McLaren trails Red Bull at the top by 42 points, shows the extent to which the F1 grid has tightened.

Waché's appreciation for his team and the emphasis on teamwork could be seen as a motivation strategy to boost the morale of its staff, especially after sporting director Jonathan Wheatley's departure was announced recently, scheduled for 2025. Speaking to the Dutch version of Motorsport.com, as reported by RacingNews365.com, he said:

"If we are not satisfied with something, of course we try to change it or compensate for it.

"Speaking for myself, I am not perfect in my role, just as no one is perfect in life. And you should certainly never think you are perfect.

"On the contrary, you have to gather people around you to compensate for your own weaknesses, that's how it should be. I hope and I see that all the people below me are better than myself in certain things, to compensate for what I can't do. 

"We are a group and in that it is not that some are weaker than others. No, everyone has strengths and bringing them together is the most important thing. There is no such thing as a group in which one individual does everything. What matters is how all those individuals work together."

Waché hinted that the RB20 F1 car had reached its performance ceiling, revealing that the team is actively working on pushing those boundaries even further. One key strategy involves investing in advanced facilities like a state-of-the-art wind tunnel to enhance the car's performance. He added:

"It's true that you always run into a limitation in everything you do.

"What we have created comes through the people and so in a sense you are always your own ceiling. 

"We work every day to raise that ceiling. If you use the tools in the right way, then at some point those tools become your ceiling."

He added:

"Although in some respects we may be the best compared to others, we still need to improve other aspects. The wind tunnel is one of those things. 

"That's why we are starting to develop a new wind tunnel for the next few years. The company is giving us that opportunity by providing money and we are very grateful for that. That's an investment in our performance in the future."

The technical director concluded that Red Bull's success depends on the combination of using the best tools and exceptional talent and that one is meaningless without the other. He said:

"The people are always the most important thing, but as in any organization, if you don't have the tools, the people can't deliver anything.

"It's about the combination of both and Red Bull Racing's success depends on the combination of these two factors."