Helmut Marko admits Red Bull’s wind-tunnel ‘not up to date’ with rivals including McLaren
Helmut Marko has stated that Red Bull's wind tunnel not being up-to has played a role in its performance slump this season.
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Max Verstappen, Helmut Marko and Christian Horner (via IMAGO)
In 2024, Red Bull faced significant challenges with its wind tunnel and overall car performance. The team recently went through a series of poor performances and has lost its lead in the Constructors’ Championship to McLaren.
Even a finely skilled driver like Max Verstappen has struggled to compete in RB20 due to its problems. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko admitted that wind tunnel is one of the issues they need to deal with. The team is experiencing a significant downturn as key members are leaving the organization.
Technical director Adrian Newey and Sporting Director Jonathan Wheatley were among the first to announce their exits. Recently, it was announced that chief race strategist Will Courteney has signed with rivals McLaren.
Red Bull urgently needs a new wind tunnel to enhance its competitiveness and get back to winning ways. Helmut Marko has stated that the current wind tunnel is from post-war Britain and is outdated, which makes it insufficient for competing in Formula 1 right now.
A more modern wind tunnel would help, Our wind tunnel is a post-war model built by the British Army. We are not up to date anymore, far from it. And I hope that by 2026 our new wind tunnel will be up and running.
Helmut Marko told motorsport
The team can’t rely on the existing wind tunnel and must address its issues, especially with as many as six races remaining this season. There’s a real fear at Red Bull that if the team can’t provide Verstappen with a competitive car, he might activate the exit clause in his contract.
Helmut Marko admits Red Bull can solve their wind tunnel issue without Adrian Newey
Adrian Newey played a crucial role in designing Red Bull’s cars, contributing to several Constructors’ Championships, during his 18 years with the team. However, his departure means he will no longer be involved in making adjustments to the car.
When Helmut Marko was asked if Newey could have solved Red Bull’s current issues, he dismissed the question as unrealistic. He said that Red Bull has hired capable people to address these challenges and that they were fully capable of finding solutions.
It’s an illusory rhetorical question. We have a diverse team, and they have to solve it, and they will.
Helmut Marko said
The wind tunnel was not the only issue Red Bull faced this year. It has also been struggling with the car’s balance. However, the team claims that it is heading in the right direction and is ready to regain its lead from McLaren.
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Gaurang Kadam
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