Red Bull F1 technical guru admits failings with 2024 car

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Red Bull technical guru admits FAILINGS with 2024 car

Pierre Wache has given reasons for Red Bull's difficult season

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Monday 5 August 2024 11:57 Updated: 19:18

A key member of the Red Bull technical team has revealed that the RB20 has not gone as planned for the Milton Keynes-based outfit.

Having set multiple Formula 1 records in a supremely dominant 2023 season, Red Bull have struggled to maintain the same advantage over their competitors in 2024.

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While Max Verstappen looks a shoo-in to claim his fourth consecutive drivers' championship title, the team have a huge scrap on their hands in the constructors' championship, with McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes all looking strong in recent races.

In contrast, Red Bull's RB19 car from last year won 21 out of a possible 22 races, making it the most successful car in F1 history.

Jonathan Wheatley will leave Red Bull at the end of the season

Adrian Newey is also set to leave Red Bull

Red Bull's disappointing car

To add to Red Bull's recent struggles, design guru Adrian Newey will not have any more influence on the team's 2024 or 2025 car, with the Brit announcing earlier this year that he would be leaving.

On top of this key departure, Jonathan Wheatley has also recent announced he will be leaving the team, and instead joining Audi as their team principal from 2026.

One man who is still with the team is technical director Pierre Wache, who has worked closely with Newey during Red Bull's period of extended dominance.

Wache was asked by Motorsport.com whether the RB20 has been as the team had hoped: "I would say not really. We improved compared to last year, without doubt, but we didn’t deliver what we expected in some areas," the Frenchman revealed.

"Especially in the high-speed corners we expected a little bit more than what we have. Without thinking about the competitiveness of the car, so just based on our own references, we expected a little bit more with our tools.

"We are using quite an old wind tunnel and it can also be linked to the reduced capacity due to our position in the championship, and maybe also the fact that this is the third year with this type of regulations."

Red Bull Max Verstappen Formula 1 Christian Horner constructors' championship