Thanks to the rule changes by F1’s governing body, each year the winners get less time to get better. To elaborate, a team’s final standing in the constructor’s standings defines the time they get in the wind tunnel. The winner gets the least amount of time, for the 2023 season, that’s Red Bull. This rule, a two-time former world champion believes, will make things interesting. This rule will make the race for the 2023 championship crown a race against time for Max Verstappen and Red Bull.

Mika Hakkinen, the two-time world champion, took out time after his outing in the Race of Champions to discuss the current F1 scenario. In his conversation with Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportive, he discussed all these variables of Formula 1 that will make the 2023 season “fascinating to follow”.

Discussing Verstappen and Red Bull, he said, “I am fascinated to see how teams that were unsuccessful last year can be helped by the current regulations to evolve their cars for this year. And now, the current regulations give more time to develop the cars in the wind tunnel to the teams that have been less successful in the previous year compared to the winners, such as Red Bull.”

“It’s an interesting thing to watch. It will be fascinating to follow that, to see how this time difference really affects the different teams and their successes,” he concluded. 

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Despite the dominant performance in 2023, there are areas where Verstappen can still improve. This stands true for Red Bull as well when it comes to car development. The first three races of the season showcased that. However, Red Bull does not have unlimited time to improve like their star driver.

Max Verstappen might need to bridge the gap created by the reduced time in the wind tunnel

The Dutchman was exceptional in 2022. However, Verstappen will have to maintain his form if not take it up a notch to cover up for the limited time in the wind tunnel.

Why would be a need to bridge the gap? Well, according to the sliding scale of the aero-testing regulations Red Bull gets 70% of time in the wind tunnel on account of them being champions.

In addition to the reduced time, the Milton Keynes outfit also breached the 2021 cost cap and was handed a penalty. A part of the penalty further reduced their time in the wind tunnel BY 10%. This brought Red Bull’s wind tunnel testing time to 63% in total.

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This double whammy will definitely hurt Red Bull as they try to maintain the gap from the competition in 2023. This is exactly why Verstappen will have to be extremely clinical throughout the 2023 season as well.

As Hakkinen said, “It will be fascinating to follow”.