Bad news for Red Bull? 'Construction of new wind tunnel delayed'

Red Bull Racing may have suffered a setback in the construction of their new wind tunnel. The team appears to have changed their schedule and withdrawn their planning application for the new facility.

Setback for Red Bull?

This is reported by F1 journalist Sam Collins on X. Red Bull has been in the process of building a new wind tunnel ever since team boss Christian Horner announced in late 2022 that it was investing in a new facility. The Brit did not disclose anything about the construction and planning, though Horner did say it was a last wish from late Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz.

Collins writes of a setback for Red Bull at X. The plan has been overturned: "The team has withdrawn its planning application for the new facility. Which means there is no chance of construction starting soon." The attached document states that Red Bull has withdrawn its proposal. The proposal was for the demolition of a warehouse to build the motorsport test facility there, alongside a car park and other associated buildings.

Red Bull and the wind tunnel

The reason for the sudden withdrawal of the application is not known. Possibly, the team needs to find a new place to build or make major changes to its plans. In any case, it is quite likely that the new wind tunnel will not be ready for use to help develop the 2025 car. That the new facility does exist in 2025 seems important, with Ford entering as Red Bull's partner in 2026 and the rigorous rule changes planned for F1 then.

Red Bull's current wind tunnel is ancient. The team has not invested in it since it took over the facility from Jaguar in 2004. Horner himself refers to the wind tunnel as a relic of the Cold War. The current wind tunnel was first commissioned in 1946 by RAE Bedford. It served as a design facility for aircraft.

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