Marko warns rivals: Cost cap penalty won’t force Red Bull to “sacrifice” ‘24 car

Red Bull were hit with a 10 per cent reduction in aero testing following their breach of F1’s financial regulations in 2021.

This will mean Mercedes, for example, will have around 25 per cent more wind tunnel time than Red Bull for much of this season.

It could prove to be inconsequential given Red Bull’s dominant start to F1 2023 in Bahrain, with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez finishing 1-2.

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Their reduction in wind tunnel time could have an impact on their 2024 project - the RB20 - given that they’ll be trying to develop this and next year’s car at the same time.

However, Marko has downplayed the impact of it, with Red Bull factoring the penalty into how they have developed the RB19.

“We have voluntarily integrated as little time as possible on the RB19, so as not to sacrifice the future RB20," Marko told nextgen-auto.com. "And I think we succeeded if we judge the result today [in Bahrain].

“The penalty was announced to us relatively early. In Singapore, it crystallised and we knew it was going to cost us dearly. 

“So, quite early on, we focused on evolving and optimising what may not have been ideal on the old car like losing weight. And if we brought something to test in the wind tunnel, it should work the first time ideally.

“We owe all this to a core in the team that has been working together for 15 years, they know what, how, they are in tune with each other. 

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“Of course, we have a genius in Adrian Newey, but the team is also composed of highly qualified and intelligent people.”

Red Bull sit top of the F1 constructors’ standings after the opening round of 2023, 20 points clear of Aston Martin.