Red Bull running 'ahead of schedule' with new wind tunnel
Red Bull Racing has revealed that the construction of its new Formula 1 wind tunnel, located at the team’s Milton Keynes campus, is progressing at an accelerated pace, running three months ahead of the original schedule.
This exciting development promises to significantly enhance the team’s technical capabilities, providing Red Bull with a state-of-the-art facility to support their ongoing quest for performance in the F1 world championship.
Currently, Red Bull relies on an outdated 70-year-old facility located near Bedford and referred to
as a "Cold War relic" by team principal Christian Horner.
While the team has made continuous efforts to update the facility, it remains a limiting factor for their future development.
Ahead of Schedule
Red Bull's technical director, Pierre Wache, provided an update on the progress of the new infrastructure and expressed cautious optimism about the project's timeline.
"With the building work and afterwards all the new machines you never know when it's coming, but we are ahead of the schedule at the moment," the French engineer told Motorsport.com.
"We are three months ahead of the plans.
“The guys are doing a very good job, but you never know if you get any delays somewhere else. It is a big project."
The new wind tunnel, which is part of a broader effort to elevate Red Bull Racing’s facilities, is expected to be operational in 2026.
It could start benefiting the team’s development efforts as early as later that year, in preparation for their 2027 challenger.
"Or maybe already help us later in the year [2026]," added Wache.
"It is the oldest wind tunnel in the sport. I even discussed it with Jos [Verstappen] the other day, that they already used this tunnel when he was there at Arrows," he said, commenting on the team’s Bedford facility.
Bringing Red Bull in Line with its Rivals
The need for an upgraded wind tunnel has been a long-standing priority for the team, especially considering the advancements made by rival teams.
McLaren, for example, has invested in a state-of-the-art wind tunnel of its own, which came online in the summer of 2023, while Aston Martin recently inaugurated a modern facility at its new Silverstone factory.
Red bull technical director Pierre Wache.
Despite its age, Red Bull Racing’s current wind tunnel has been regularly updated with newer technology. However, Wache acknowledged its limitations
"It is an old tool that we updated. There is plenty of newer stuff inside, but we have some limitations,” he said.
“We know those limitations and we try to work around them, but that is clearly more difficult when you are looking for a small delta.
"It is why we invest in the new tunnel. We think we can have a benefit from the new one that we don't have with the current model."
As the team looks ahead to the future, the wind tunnel project marks another important step in Red Bull’s broader strategy to maintain its competitive edge.
With a promising start on construction and a target for operations in 2026, this investment in technological infrastructure is poised to have a major impact on the team's ability to develop and refine their F1 cars for years to come.
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