I’m a relatively new fan, started seriously getting interested in 2017-2018. I guess what I mean is mainly in the second part of my comment. I don’t understand why it is allowed for them to have two teams, especially under the current budget cap system. It essentially gives RB twice the operating budget, wind tunnel time, etc. compared to the rest of the grid. Other than the obvious answer of “money”, why it is allowed, and why is it tolerated uncontested by the rest of the grid. If I were Ferrari, or Merc, I’d want there to be extreme scrutiny of operations for RB and TR/AT to ensure that they are operating and designing 100% independently.

The “not convinced” part is more to say that I’m not convinced that AT doesn’t use some of it’s allotted wind tunnel time to test aero designs for RB. Sacrifice the performance of the junior team to benefit the parent team. When you say “this has been common knowledge…” do you mean that this kind of thing is happening, and everyone knows it? If so, I don’t understand the other teams on the grid not losing their collective minds over it.

Yeah, I’ve never been convinced that Red Bull isn’t just using AlphaTauri/Toro Rosso as a full on development program for drivers, parts, aero, you name it. I’ve never understood why they are basically allowed to have two teams.