P1racenews AI automatic summary:
George Russell believes that the sliding scale of wind tunnel time permitted to Formula 1 teams should reflect the amount of points scored rather than where a competitor finishes in the Constructors’ standings. As it stands, teams that finish lower in the Constructors’ standings are permitted a greater amount of time testing in wind tunnels […]
Teams that finish lower in the Constructors’ standings are given more time for testing in wind tunnels than those at the top. For example, Haas, which finished 10th in the 2023 championship, had a 115% allocation of wind tunnel time at the start of the 2024 season. George Russell of Mercedes proposed that a greater difference in wind tunnel time allocation could be based on the points difference between teams rather than just their positions. The competitiveness of the 2024 F1 season, with six different winners from four teams, raises questions about the necessity of tightening the field. Lewis Hamilton also raised concerns about helping struggling teams improve faster within a new rule cycle, not just through wind tunnel allocation. As the sport heads towards the 2026 rules overhaul, discussions about ways to support less competitive teams early on in the design process are gaining momentum.
