Key Points:
- Red Bull is replacing its 70-year-old, outdated wind tunnel.
- The new, cutting-edge facility is located at their Milton Keynes campus.
- It's designed to provide a significant competitive advantage in aerodynamic development.
- The new wind tunnel is expected to become operational during the 2026 season, primarily benefiting 2027 and 2028 F1 car designs.
Retiring an Aero Relic: The End of an Era for Red Bull
For years, the whispers have grown louder: how does Red Bull achieve such aerodynamic brilliance with the oldest wind tunnel in F1? The facility, now nearly 70 years old and situated near Bedford, has been a constant talking point. Christian Horner famously described it as a “Cold War relic,” highlighting the challenges of correlating its data with real-world track performance.
Despite these limitations, the technical team, led by Pierre Wache, has consistently produced championship-winning machinery. This incredible feat only underscores the immense talent within Red Bull’s design department, making the prospect of a modern tool even more tantalizing.
A New Era of Aerodynamics: Red Bull's State-of-the-Art Leap
The wait is almost over. Red Bull is on the cusp of commissioning a brand-new, cutting-edge wind tunnel at its headquarters in Milton Keynes. This facility is not just an upgrade; it’s a commitment to staying at the absolute pinnacle of motorsport engineering.
Team Principal Laurent Mekies acknowledges the current tunnel’s







