F1 give Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari key ADVANTAGE over title rivals

After the final race of the 2025 F1 season in Abu Dhabi, the Constructors’ Championship standings have been finalised.

While this details how much prize money each team gets, it also sets the stage for determining how much wind tunnel time each team will receive during the first half of 2026.

Wind tunnel testing is vital for developing F1 cars. It reveals how aerodynamic components react to airflow, an insight that is more crucial than ever with the upcoming changes to regulations.

Not only will the power units be overhauled, but the chassis and bodywork will also see significant changes. To control costs, teams face strict testing limits. Instead of using the full-size car, they work with scale models that can be no larger than 60 per cent of the real car.

Wind tunnel regulations

A single year is divided into six Aerodynamic Test Periods (ATPs). During each ATP, teams are allowed up to 320 wind tunnel runs. A run is counted once the wind speed exceeds 5 meters per second (18 km/h).

Out of these runs, only 80 hours are permitted with the wind speed above 15 m/s (54 km/h), known as 'wind on' time. In total, a team may only spend up to 400 hours in the wind tunnel per ATP if they use 100 per cent of the available time.

Red Bull enjoys an edge over McLaren

After three ATPs – representing half a season or twelve race weekends – the Constructors’ Championship standings determine each team’s wind tunnel allocation.

Performance matters: the better a team performs, the less time they are allowed. This rule hits McLaren hard as defending champions.

Their allocation is set at just 70 per cent of the standard limits, equating to 224 runs, 56 hours of “wind on” time, and 280 total hours per ATP.

For each position lower, an extra five per cent is added until it reaches 115 per cent for teams finishing tenth or for brand-new entrants.

The rule also boosts Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari, whose poor second half of the season saw them drop to fourth in the standings. However, for the start of 2026 they have been given a five per cent increase to 85 per cent.

READ MORE: Hamilton 'thinks about Abu Dhabi 2021 EVERY day'

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