Red Bull has highlighted two significant advantages following their third-place finish in the Formula 1 championship, with one of the main benefits being a reduction in entry fees for the upcoming season.
The first advantage is the $2.7 million saved on entry fees compared to last year. Since 2013, the FIA has implemented a system where entry fees are based on points earned by each team in the previous season, and this practice continues for 2025. The entry fee consists of a base salary plus a per-point fee, with the team champion paying a higher fee. For 2025, Red Bull’s entry fee will be $4,684,814, a significant reduction from the previous year’s $7,445,817. This saving of $2,761,003 provides some relief after the team lost nearly $20 million in prize money from commercial revenue.
The second major advantage for Red Bull is the increase in wind tunnel testing time, which is crucial for technical development. Under F1’s Aerodynamic Testing Restrictions, the team’s championship finish determines how much time they are allotted for aerodynamic testing. Red Bull finished 2024 in third place, giving them 80% of the available wind tunnel testing time for the 2025 season, up from 70% in 2024. This means an increase from 224 wind tunnel trials to 256, and 64 hours of work instead of 56. This extra testing time is considered valuable, especially with the upcoming major rule changes in F1 set for 2026.
Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal, acknowledged that while the third-place finish was disappointing, the increased wind tunnel time was a crucial benefit. “Third place is hard to swallow, but the extra wind tunnel time is a huge advantage as we prepare for one of the biggest rule changes in Formula 1 history,” Horner said. “This is the only positive thing we have, even though we are not champions.”
