F1 News
No worries about wind tunnel Red Bull: New location found
- GPblog.com
Red Bull Racing are going ahead with the construction of a new wind tunnel after all. An F1 journalist reported on Monday that the team has withdrawn a permit application. This is factually correct, but the team of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez has simultaneously found a new place to build a wind tunnel, Motorsport.com reported.
They originally planned to build the new wind tunnel on the Red Bull Campus. But with the development of the Red Bull Powertrains - the in-house engines from the 2026 season - more space is needed for the factory. Thereupon, they decided to find another site for the wind tunnel. The new licence application is expected to be made in the near future.
Current wind tunnel of Red Bull obsolete
Red Bull Racing does not expect the changed plans to have any impact on '26; the year when there will be a major rule change in Formula 1. Moreover, it can hardly be less than it is currently. Whereas Red Bull has the best facilities and people for everything, the current wind tunnel is becoming obsolete. It was in use by Jaguar, the team from which Red Bull emerged in 2004.
Jaguar had in turn acquired the facility from Arrows, the team for which Jos Verstappen, among others, once raced in Formula 1. Originally, the wind tunnel was designed for use in World War II. Building a new wind tunnel was one of the last things Dietrich Mateschitz arranged before he passed away a year ago.
Speaking in Austin, where the US Grand Prix was held last week, team boss Christian Horner spoke about the new facilities. "We're investing in a new wind tunnel, and that's been signed off by both shareholders. We're investing in the facilities and the campus to make it a real technology campus to attract and develop talent."