Red Bull shares timeline of when it would move finally away from 'relic of the cold war' for its car development

Red Bull Racing has reportedly made significant progress in its construction of a new wind tunnel. Technical director Pierre Wache told Motorsport.com that the progress is currently running three months ahead of schedule, and the new wind tunnel could be ready for use before the 2026 F1 season.

The Milton Keynes-based outfit faced alarming competition in the 2024 F1 season as it lost the constructors' championship to McLaren. Team principal Christian Horner highlighted the limitations with the car development facilities, including the outdated wind tunnel. He referred to it as 'a relic from the Cold War.'

In modern times, when car testing is limited to two days annually, F1 teams are heavily reliant on wind tunnels. Meanwhile, to tackle the problem, Red Bull has initiated the construction of a new wind tunnel at Milton Keynes after the company released funds for the same.

The team's technical director, Pierre Wache, spoke to Motorsport.com and shared a timeline for the completion of the plan. He was asked if the brand-new wind tunnel would be ready for use before the 2026 season when new engine regulations are set to be enforced. To this, Wache replied:

"It will be around that time. With the construction and then all the new machinery in it, you never really know how it will go, but we are currently ahead of schedule. We are about three months ahead. The guys are doing a great job, but you never really know how it will go. It is a big project."

Wache added that the new wind tunnel will create a massive difference in the car's development procedure and accuracy in data collection.

"It's an old tool that we've updated along the way. There are a lot of newer parts inside, but we have some limitations. That's why we're investing in a new wind tunnel now because we think we'll have an advantage with it that we don't have with the current wind tunnel."

Red Bull finished P3 in the constructors' championship in 2024 after McLaren and Ferrari edged past with better pace and performance.

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Red Bull Racing terminates a $150 million sponsorship deal

Red Bull Racing (Image Source: Getty)

Ahead of the 2025 F1 season, Red Bull Racing has made a significant call to cancel the sponsorship deal with cryptocurrency firm Bybit. The firm signed a three-year deal in 2022 that was reportedly worth around $150 million. However, according to Racingnews365, the two parties couldn't agree on a renewal as Bybit was dropped from the team's official sponsor list.

In the upcoming season, Red Bull will also see a change to its drivers' lineup. Sergio Perez was sacked in December 2024 after an unsatisfactory season. Liam Lawson, who drove for Racing Bulls in the second half of the last season, has been handed a promotion as he is set to be Max Verstappen's teammate in the 2025 season.