Is a 'Cold War relic' causing Red Bull's disastrous start to the year?

Photo: © IMAGO

Red Bull

Is a 'Cold War relic' causing Red Bull's disastrous start to the year?

Christian Horner previously called the wind tunnel a 'Cold War relic'

Originally written by Sam Cook. This version is a translation.

Tuesday 7 April 2026 23:00

Red Bull's dismal start to F1 2026 could well be down to a failure to invest in their wind tunnel, according to reports.

Red Bull have started a new era in 2026 of power unit production, and this has led to some reliability and power output concerns for Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.

Verstappen has adopted a rather miserable persona so far in the season, even suggesting that he is 'seriously considering' quitting the sport unless changes are made to the regulations. A number of commentators, including Mercedes boss Toto Wolff, have suggested that his demeanour might be because of how poor Red Bull have been.

But the team's struggles might just centre around the fact that they, according to AutoRacer, have not invested in their wind tunnel infrastructure as their rivals McLaren, Aston Martin, Mercedes and Ferrari have, instead being focused on trying to build their power unit department from scratch.

Article continues under video

Former team principal Christian Horner described the Red Bull wind tunnel as a 'Cold War relic' back in 2022, and doubled down on those comments in the succeeding seasons, but serious investment has not been made in the infrastructure.

So while the Red Bull power units are causing their drivers a few problems, deeper issues may lie within the car design and their ability to bring aerodynamic upgrades could be hampered by the outdated infrastructure.

Can Verstappen win a race in 2026?

The Dutchman crashed out in qualifying in Australia, and his recovery to sixth was impressive. But what has come next has been truly woeful for the 28-year-old who harbours ambitions of claiming a fifth world title.

Ninth in the Chinese GP sprint race, a DNF in the Chinese GP main race and then an eighth-place finish in Japan, and Verstappen has not been in the hunt for a podium in any of the four races so far.

But the Dutchman's ability to maximise the performance of his Red Bull is something we have seen time and time again, and he managed to claim eight grand prix victories in 2025 despite having an inconsistent car.

While even a race win looks to be a tall order at the moment, don't rule out Red Bull making marginal gains on their rivals over the coming weeks and months that could just propel Verstappen into a space where he is challenging with the McLarens and Ferraris once more.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Christian Horner Helmut Marko