F1: Red Bull face a significant handicap for 2023

Wind tunnel runs and computational fluid dynamics hours, for the Oracle Red Bull Honda team have been cut 25% for 2023 after winning the constructors’ championship last season in addition to being found guilty of breaching the 2021 cost cap.

Asked by Autosport to determine how much their reduction had hurt the design and development of the RB19, Horner said during the squad’s 2023 season launch event in New York City, “We’re doing the best with what we’ve got.”

“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 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.”

“We have a lot of very competent people in our factory.

“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.”