P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Red Bull has regressed after a dominant period. A widely-accepted narrative for its recent struggles has been the lack of correlation between its wind tunnel and the track, but what exactly is the problem?
Red Bull’s team principal, Christian Horner, highlighted the challenges posed by their outdated wind tunnel, a relic from the Cold War that limits their operations to a narrow temperature range. The team’s reliance on the aging wind tunnel, formerly used by the British Army, has led to issues affecting their performance in the current Formula 1 season. Red Bull’s decline in performance has been attributed to the lack of perfect correlation between the wind tunnel, computer simulations, and on-track data, a crucial aspect in modern Formula 1. The team’s struggles emphasize the importance of having modern facilities, as seen with competitors like McLaren and Ferrari, who have benefitted from more advanced technologies. Red Bull’s focus now lies on resolving their balance issues and maximizing their performance in the remaining races, while also preparing for the significant changes expected in the 2026 season.