F1 News

New wind tunnel won't solve McLaren problem: 'Look at Red Bull'

New wind tunnel won't solve McLaren problem: 'Look at Red Bull'

10-06-2023 16:02 Last update: 17:59
2
Author profile picture

Toby McLuskie

It is planned that McLaren will soon start using a new wind tunnel in Woking, the site of the McLaren Technology Centre. David Coulthard does not think the new wind tunnel is going to cause a sudden difference in performance at the British team.

At the moment, McLaren still uses Toyota's old wind tunnel in Cologne. This is obviously not practical for testing new parts. These parts then have to be transported to Germany first and only there can they be tested. This costs a lot of time and money.

Coulthard looks at Red Bull

Red Bull Racing uses a 1960s wind tunnel, but is at the front of the Formula 1 field. The wind tunnel Red Bull uses is much closer than in McLaren's case, though. In Monaco, the RB19 was hoisted into the air, revealing the Red Bull car's much-discussed floor. “I think what they’ll have learned as the sophistication of the aero development that’s on their car," the Briton told Channel 4.

According to the former Mclaren and Red Bull driver, Red Bull is proving that performance does not just depend on a brand new wind tunnel. “A lot of teams talk about bringing in new wind tunnels, I think McLaren are saying ‘well, the new wind tunnel is going to sort all their problems’, well, Red Bull use a wind tunnel from the 60s. So it’s not just how new your wind tunnel is, it’s about how predictable and repeatable the information is that gives them such an aero efficient car.”