2026 Oracle Red Bull Racing F1 Team

[Silent Storm]

Different gear ratios could explain the comment "You will never guess what we had to change" (or something like that I read somewhere)

Exactly what I was thinking. The difference in performance between Merc and McL is gear ratios. McL and Redbull chose long ratios. Specially first gear is really long for Redbull.

[Silent Storm]

Wasn't reported during testing that Red Bull had chosen short gear ratios to enhance recharging in slow speed corners ? maybe they found this was not the right way to go and changed gear ratios.

It was reported that they went with tall ratios.

[Silent Storm]

Except there is nothing jaw dropping about changing gear ratios, no one would be shocked.

Has a huge impact on regen, deployment and balance. Take a corner in 5th gear and same corner in 3rd. Also engine braking gets into the mix.

[euv2]

https://x.com/brakeboosted/status/20719 ... 09120?s=20
4th in ATR, slightly more testing than the rivals. How much they get in the next period will most likely depend on Hadjars performances.

[Shlongi]

Will the new wind tunnel be available for 2027 ? Even if it was not sure that they will have the time to setup and configurate it in time for the 2027 car since IIRC they have to designate one wind tunnel per year.

[lio007]

Will the new wind tunnel be available for 2027 ? Even if it was not sure that they will have the time to setup and configurate it in time for the 2027 car since IIRC they have to designate one wind tunnel per year.

I'm not sure if only one tunnel can be nominated a year... Aston Martin switched to their own tunnel mid season.

[ME4ME]

There is some speculation in the paddock that the RBPT has the largest turbo diameter, or the most turbo airflow anyways. This may explain a few things that we are seeing.

• ADUO results which indicate high peak power (but clearly not more overall PU performance than Merc).

• Start struggles.

• Driveability issues in low speed (turbo lag).

• PU being very competitive at altitude in Austria (arguably a 100% match for Merc who had brand new PUs).

• Slightly larger air-scoop, slightly larger exhaust diameter.

Nothing confirmed but I can see why people believe this to be true, it fits the rather confusing picture. Also if true it's stupid that turbo size is not accounted for in the ADUO calculation.

I think the "mind blowing" change might well have had to do with the exhaust manifold. Maybe they've done something really clever reducing hot gas volume to the turbo and reducing packaging volume of the manifold inside the sidepod as well.

Regarding ADUO there is so much wrong with it, it's shouldn't even exist, especially not with a PU OEM budget cap

[pantherxxx]

If that's the case Verstappen should win in Brazil and Mexico. That big turbo will do wonders there.