Throwback: When Red Bull ran an F1 test with no front wing

In a bizarre pre-season testing moment, Red Bull was forced to run its 2015 car without a front wing after Daniil Kvyat damaged the only available one during an installation lap. The team, lacking a spare, decided to continue running a severely limited program to check basic systems, offering driver Kvyat a uniquely challenging and undriveable experience.

Why it matters:

This incident highlights the high-stakes, resource-stretched reality of Formula 1 pre-season testing, where every minute of track time is invaluable. A single mistake can derail an entire day's crucial development program, exposing operational vulnerabilities even at top teams. For Kvyat, replacing Sebastian Vettel, it was a far-from-ideal start to his tenure with the senior team.

The details:

• The incident occurred on February 2, 2015, during the second day of testing at Jerez.
• New Red Bull driver Daniil Kvyat damaged the RB11's sole front wing by hitting a tire barrier between Turns 2 and 3 on a cold track during an installation lap.
• Team Principal Christian Horner noted that not carrying a spare wing was "relatively common for this time of year" in early winter testing, emphasizing the logistical balancing act teams perform.
• Rather than pack up, Red Bull sent Kvyat back out to complete 18 laps without the front wing purely to verify system functionality.
• Kvyat described the car as "completely different," with a near-total loss of downforce causing significant front tire slide in corners.
• The FIA reportedly raised no objections, as this was considered a necessity while waiting for replacement parts, not a deliberate aerodynamic experiment.

What's next:

The story ended as an uncomfortable anecdote rather than a data-generating exercise. Horner confirmed that with new parts arriving from the factory in Milton Keynes overnight, the team expected to resume normal testing the following morning. The episode served as a stark reminder of the fine margins in F1 testing but had no long-term impact on Red Bull's preparations for the 2015 season.