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Red Bull has fallen back in the pecking order recently. Paolo Filisetti, technical expert at RacingNews365, explains why updates are also not reaping rewards.
When the first signs of a team losing performance are noticed, it is normally approached with great caution.
There is almost a fear or disbelief, especially when a team has been at the top for multiple seasons, handily beating the competition. 
It is the situation that has unfolded at Red Bull, when the first signs of decline became apparent as early as mid-2024 when McLaren gained the upper hand in terms of design and performance.
Entering the summer break, Red Bull finds itself fourth in the constructors’ championship. 
The team has lost ground not only to McLaren, but also to Ferrari and Mercedes. Throughout the season thus far, the Milton Keynes-based team has put great effort into developing the RB21. 
The focus has mainly been on the floor, Venturi ducts and the beginning of the diffuser, before moving on to the wings. 
The front wing played a starring role in Red Bull’s development story this year, as multiple versions have been seen in the past four races with no substantial improvement in the lack of balance. 
The car has had a lot of understeer, something four-time champion Max Verstappen has complained about on several occasions. However, that problem has never been remedied on an aerodynamic level.
Red Bull often deploys a setup with little downforce from the rear wing. However, this is done not to improve aerodynamic efficiency, but to reduce the lack of balance. 
Low pressure on the rear wing in this case prevents the pressure from the body and wings from dominating at the rear. Indeed, this worsens the RB21’s dynamic behaviour. 
The current aerodynamic tuning is therefore a failed attempt to correct a problem with the car. 
Red Bull’s engineers and their competitors have a few basic elements at their disposal to obtain performance and consistent dynamic behaviour. 
That starts with the dynamic platform, represented by the front and rear suspension and its interaction with the aerodynamic platform (the geometry, springs, dampers, anti-roll bars, etc.). The RB21’s shortcomings are more dynamic than of an aerodynamic nature. 
If the aerodynamics do not deliver top performance in terms of load and distribution, in this case, it is due to the RB21’s inaccurate dynamics.
The design from the extremely dominant 2023 car, when Verstappen won 19 races in a single season, proved extremely effective – but it has since been a critical issue.
The geometry has led to excessive front axle stiffness. This is functional for the precision of the car, especially when Verstappen is driving it and can accommodate the “light” rear. But it is no longer compatible with the current aerodynamic loads of a car.
The aerodynamic evolution of the floor has changed the aerodynamic balance of the cars in the last two seasons. 
The aerodynamic characteristics of the RB21 can no longer compensate for or cover up the shortcomings of the chassis. 
For this reason, no aerodynamic update has substantially improved the car’s performance, and it seems likely that further upgrades in the second half of the season would produce the same results.
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