The only upsides that temper Red Bull’s “hate” of being beaten in Formula 1

By
SACHIN KELKAR
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11

Red Bull may confess to ‘hate’ being beaten in Formula 1 this year, but there are two notable upsides that compensate a little for seeing McLaren and Ferrari finish ahead of it.

The first is a $2.7 million saving that the squad will have on its entry fee compared to what it forked out last year.

But perhaps more importantly, there is also a boost to its wind tunnel running which could be hugely valuable ahead of F1’s major rules revamp for 2026.

Entry fee slashed

Ever since 2013, as part of a revised Concorde Agreement that came into force that year, the FIA has based entry fees for each competitor on the number of points scored in the previous season.

This originally started with a base fee of $500,000 plus $5000 per point scored, apart from the constructors’ champion which had to pay $6000. 

However, with inflation having been taken into account, for the 2025 season the figures are a base fee for everyone of $680,203 plus an extra $8161 per point scored for the constructors’ champion. Every other team must pay $6799 per point scored.

This means that title winner McLaren will pay a total of $6,115,429, with Ferrari set to fork out $5,113,151 and third-placed Red Bull a sum of $4,684,814.

Red Bull’s fee is, however, a significant drop on last year when it was left with a whopping bill to pay off the back of its truly dominant season where it had won 21 out of 22 races. The record breaking 860 points that it scored left its entry fee for 2024 as $7,445,817.

That means off the back of the 2024 campaign, where it finished third rather than first, it has an entry fee saving of $2,761,003 – although that pails into insignificance compared to the estimated $20 million in lost commercial rights income that comes from dropping two places in the standings.

The full 2025 entry fees are below

Team Points Basic Fee Points Fee Total 2023 Fee
McLaren 666 680,203 8,161 6,115,429 2,643,487
Ferrari 652 680,203 6,799 5,113,151 3,327,287
Red Bull 589 680,203 6,799 4,684,814 7,445,817
Mercedes 468 680,203 6,799 3,862,135 3,347,012
Aston Martin 94 680,203 6,799 1,319,309 2,498,837
Alpine 65 680,203 6,799 1,122,138 1,446,837
Haas 58 680,203 6,799 1,074,545 736,737
RB 46 680,203 6,799 992,957 822,212
Williams 17 680,203 6,799 795,786 841,937
Sauber 4 680,203 6,799 707,399 763,037

Aero boost

It is not just a saving on entry fees that Red Bull gets from not being so dominant this season, because there are wind tunnel and CFD benefits too.
Formula 1’s sporting rules include what it known as the Aerodynamic Testing Restrictions, which details a sliding scale of wind tunnel time and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) capacity that can be used for an “aerodynamic testing period” (ATP) of two months, based on championship position.
The team that finishes first in the championship starts each segment with 70% of the baseline allowance, in 5% increments up to the 115% multiplier for finishing 10th, in an effort to create closer grids.
Red Bull has had the least amount since the last reset on 30 June (after the Austrian GP) but, with things changing on December 31, it will now get a benefit for the start of next year, which is exactly when aerodynamic work on the 2026 car is allowed for the first time.
Red Bull will go from 70% of the baseline allowance, up to 80%, which is just more than a 14% increase.
This effectively gives it 256 wind tunnel runs compared to 224 before, and wind on time hours is now 64 rather than 56.
Red Bull team boss Christian Horner admitted at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that he did see some positives from this rule benefit that offsets the pain of not ending the year as constructors’ champion.
“It’s a tough one because we have the biggest regulation change in probably 50 or 60 years in the history of the sport,” he said.
“So with that in mind, we hate finishing third in the championship, but the additional wind tunnel time that comes with that is, if you like, the only upside in a year where there is such a dramatic regulatory change.”

Photos from Abu Dhabi GP Race


Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, girlfriend Carmen Montero Mundt

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Mario Isola, Head of Pirelli Motorsport, presents Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, with the Pirelli Pole Man of the Year Award

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Alex Albon, Williams Racing Team, girlfriend Lily Muni He

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, Liam Lawson, Visa Cash App RB F1 Team

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, with Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, during the 2024 drivers line up

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


The 2024 drivers line up on the grid for an end of season photograph

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Brad Pitt on the grid for filming of the F1 movie

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Former cricketer Chris Gayle visits the Aston Martin garage

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Kevin Magnussen, Haas F1 Team

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Jackie Stewart, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Franco Colapinto, Williams Racing

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Departing drivers Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber, receive an ovation from colleagues

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Alex Albon, Williams Racing

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Zhou Guanyu, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Nico Hulkenberg, Haas F1 Team

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin F1 Team, on the grid

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, on the grid

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Frederic Vasseur, Team Principal and General Manager, Scuderia Ferrari, Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, on the grid with the Constructors Championship trophy prior to the start

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, the rest of the field at the start

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, the rest of the field at the start

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, spins on track after a collision with Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38 (not pictured)

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Smoke fills the air as Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, Valtteri Bottas, Stake F1 Team KICK Sauber C44, at the start

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Carlos Sainz, Ferrari SF-24, Pierre Gasly, Alpine A524, George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, Nico Hulkenberg, Haas VF-24, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24, the remainder of the field

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38, on the formation lap

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


George Russell, Mercedes F1 W15, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari SF-24

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Liam Lawson, RB F1 Team VCARB 01

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes F1 W15, celebrates with donuts after the race

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


The McLaren team celebrate

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, celebrates on the grid at the end of the race

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, sprays Champagne on the podium

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, 1st position, celebrate on the podium with Champagne

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, 1st position, Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, Charles Leclerc, Scuderia Ferrari, 3rd position, on the podium

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


George Russell, Mercedes-AMG F1 Team, Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem film a scene for the F1 movie on the podium

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Carlos Sainz, Scuderia Ferrari, 2nd position, pours Champagne over Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing, on the podium

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Andrea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team, the McLaren team celebrate after securing the Constructors title

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Carlos Sainz, Ferrari, Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Zak Brown, CEO, McLaren Racing,rea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team, the McLaren team celebrate after securing the Constructors title

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, 1st position, Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team, the McLaren team celebrate after securing the Constructors Championship title

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday


Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, 1st position, the McLaren team celebrate securing the Constructors Championship title

2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix – Sunday

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Red Bull Racing
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SACHIN KELKAR
SACHIN KELKAR
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