Red Bull targets Barcelona revival amid flexi-wing rule shift

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As Formula 1 heads to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Spanish Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing is aiming to recapture the strong performance it showcased at Imola earlier this month.

However, the team faces a new challenge: the FIA's implementation of stricter front wing deflection tests, a move that Red Bull team principal Christian Horner describes as "essentially a regulation change” for F1 teams.

The FIA's updated technical directive reduces from this weekend’s Spanish Grand Prix the permissible front wing deflection under load from 15mm to 10mm.

While teams have had time to adapt since the announcement in January, Horner acknowledges the potential impact on car performance.

Navigating the New Flexi-Wing Regulations

"The front wing [tests] is essentially a regulation change," Horner stated in Monaco, quoted by RACER.

"Now, maybe that will have zero impact on the running order but it's a change and it'll affect all the teams; maybe neutrally, but there will be an impact from it."

He further elaborated on the significance of this adjustment.

"It's a significant change, and so of course there'll be some effect. The teams have anticipated that, so it may well be neutral or it may have some effect on degradation – it doesn't make life easier."

Despite these concerns, Horner remains optimistic about Red Bull's prospects in Spain based on Max Verstappen’s win at Imola.

"Of course you go from seven days ago, we're in Imola and at a higher-speed circuit and the car performed very well."

Aiming for a Strong Comeback in Spain

Red Bull's performance in Monte Carlo last weekend saw Max Verstappen finish fourth, a result that Horner anticipated given the circuit's characteristics.

"We always knew [Monaco] would expose some of our car's [limitations] – it was never going to be our strongest circuit. So going back to Barcelona I hope that we can replicate closer to what we did in Imola."

In terms of the championship standings, Horner remains focused on the long game:

"We arrive there 25 points [back] – we only gave away three points to the championship leader, so we're still within a race win with, what, 16 races still to go? T

"There's an enormous amount of racing, plus the Sprint races, etc., so there's a long, long way to go in this championship,” he noted.

In Barcelona, all eyes will be on how teams adapt to the new front wing regulations and whether Red Bull can leverage its experience and resilience to maintain its competitive edge.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.