Horner: Red Bull doing 'wonderful job' adapting to aero restrictions

Christian Horner says Red Bull's engineers are doing "a wonderful job" adapting to the aerodynamic testing restrictions imposed on the team, but they remain a "significant handicap" according to the Briton.

Red Bull is hit with a double wammy this season, having to face a reduction of wind-tunnel testing and CFD usage due to winning F1's Constructors' championship but also due to its minor transgression of the sport's 2021 cost cap regulations.

All F1 teams receive an aerodynamic resting restrictions (ATR) handicap based on their ranking in the championship at the end of the year.

Reigning world champions Red Bull must therefore deal with a reduction in aero development which, when also factoring in the penalty levied upon the outfit for exceeding its budget cap, sits at 63%.

This means the team can only exploit 63% of the benchmark 100% wind tunnel and CFD time allocated to teams.

Behind the Milton Keynes-based outfit, Ferrari and Mercedes have seen their ATR reduced to 75 and 80% respectively.

Horner says the limitations imposed on Red Bull this season are "significant", but the team is working diligently to make the most of its authorized time capital.

"We’re doing the best with what we’ve got," he said last week in New York, where Red Bull announced its future engine partnership with Ford.

"The team have had to adapt to the handicap that we have. They’ve done a wonderful job in doing that.

"Is it enough? We’ll find out in a couple of weeks’ time [in Bahrain testing and the first round of the season] as a starting point.

"It’s certainly a significant handicap that we carry for the majority of the year.

"But I think the team have obviously accepted it; we’ve looked to adapt to ensure we’re as efficient as we possibly can be.

"We’ll see when the RB19 runs on the track in anger if we’ve done enough."

• Read also: Red Bull and Honda separated by 'clear Chinese wall' – Horner

Two-time world champion Max Verstappen admits that the reduced ATR makes things "a little bit harder" for Red Bull. But the Dutchman recognizes that the handicap is the inevitable price of success.

"We have a lot of very competent people in our factory," commented Verstappen. "Of course, it makes things a little bit harder.

"But I also look at it like this, I prefer to be in the position we are in than always finishing second or third in championship, because that's way more depressing.

"I'm sure we have to be a little bit more precise of what we're doing in the wind tunnel.

"But I don't expect it to be a big limiting factor in if we're going to win the title or not."

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