Red Bull may have hit F1 concept ceiling

Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache has conceded that the team may have hit the ceiling with the development of its F1 car, though suggested the overall limit of the regulations has not been reached.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit has established itself as the benchmark in the latest technical era, with Max Verstappen winning almost three-quarters of the races in that time.

But rivals McLaren, Mercedes and Ferrari have begun to peg back Red Bull’s advantage since the Miami Grand Prix, where Lando Norris picked up his first F1 victory, with the Briton joined by team-mate Oscar Piastri, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in winning races, in addition to Carlos Sainz’s triumph in Australia earlier in the season.

Asked in an exclusive interview with Autosport whether the RB20 had delivered as he and the team expected pre-season, Wache replied: “I would say not really.

“We improved compared to last year, without doubt, but we didn’t deliver what we expected in some areas. Especially in the high-speed corners, we expected a little bit more than what we have.

“Without thinking about the competitiveness of the car, so just based on our own references, we expected a little bit more with our tools.

“I think some aspects can be linked to the correlation,” he added when pushed for the cause. “We are using quite an old wind tunnel and it can also be linked to the reduced capacity due to our position in the championship [ATR] and maybe also the fact that this is the third year with this type of regulation.”

On whether Red Bull was beginning to hit the ceiling with regards to its development path, Wache admitted: “Our ceiling [with one specific concept] maybe, but it doesn’t mean that it is the overall ceiling.

“In this business you take ideas from the others as well. During the past two years people took our ideas, but fundamentally you need the others to find some other stuff as well to make a step. I think that is starting to happen now and that gives you a different ceiling.”

Verstappen broke the record for most wins in a single season for the second successive campaign last term, securing 19 victories which included a record-breaking 10 in a row between Miami and Monza.

The dominance was expected by many to continue into the new year and, whilst it did seem to play out that way before the return to Miami, it has been…