Max Verstappen’s long-term dominance has been placed into question after it surfaced that Red Bull have been forced to postpone their plans to move into a new wind tunnel facility. This will stop the team from using their planned new facilities on their 2025 challenger.
The Dutchman has dominated the 2023 season, helped greatly by the dominant RB19 machinery underneath him. Adrian Newey has overseen the development of one of the most impressive cars in F1 history this year, allowing Verstappen to accumulate a points tally large enough to win Red Bull the Constructor Championship title on his own.
Verstappen heads into the standings with 15 wins to his name with the 26-year-old featuring on the podium at all but one race this season. His 226-point lead over team-mate Sergio Perez will represent a new record for the largest winning margin in a World Championship.
However, that dominance could be facing a threat. F1 technical guru and analyst Sam Collins took to the X social media platform to report: “Red Bull wind tunnel set back. Things are not going to plan for Red Bull’s new wind tunnel in Milton Keynes, UK.
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“The team has withdrawn its planning application for the new facility. Which means there is no chance of construction starting soon. It also means that any new wind tunnel for the team would not be much use on the 2025 car, and would be a push to realistically have it in use for much meaningful development on the Ford-powered 2026 car.
“The team will continue with its 75-year-old tunnel at Twinwoods, UK for now. The reasons for withdrawal have not been revealed yet, but it may be that the team will have to find a new location for the tunnel, or significantly modify the plans.”
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This news will be particularly concerning to Red Bull given the technological advancements made by their F1 rivals this season. Aston Martin were the Milton Keynes-based team’s biggest challengers at the start of the year and while their performance has tailed off, their new, fully operational campus facility will only improve efficiency moving forward.
McLaren have also gained in the facilities department this season, celebrating the opening of their new, state-of-the-art wind tunnel at the start of October. This change means that they no longer have to rely on the Toyota facility in Cologne for their testing, generating a bigger threat to Red Bull and Verstappen.
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