F1 Rumour: Red Bull Has Spent Majority of Development Budget Already

Could this mean other teams will catch up to their pace?

F1's development war is an inevitable part of the season, with teams vying to make improvements that can give them an edge over their rivals. 

Red Bull, historically, is a team whose ability to develop throughout the season has served them well, as evidenced in seasons such as 2013. 

So far in 2022, Red Bull has made impressive strides in their championship fight with Ferrari. The RB18 has taken consecutive victories in Imola and Miami, putting pressure on Ferrari to respond to the Austrian team's advantage. 

Red Bull was by no means slow at round one, but their recovery from retirements in Bahrain and Australia has seemingly startled Ferrari. 

Few would have predicted that after a double DNF in Bahrain, alongside Verstappen's retirement in Australia, Red Bull would be so close to Ferrari in the standings. 

The Italian branch of motorsport.com has suggested, however, that Red Bull's upgrades have come at a cost. They report that Red Bull has already spent 75% of its development budget this season. 

Whilst this is difficult to confirm, it will be worth observing how effectively teams will be able to continually improve their machines as the year progresses. 

Reliability will also become increasingly critical for teams, as avoiding engine penalties (awarded for using excessive power unit components) becomes increasingly difficult.