Verstappen: Red Bull’s problems go deeper than wind tunnel issues

Max Verstappen has insisted that Red Bull Racing’s ongoing performance issues with its RB21 cannot be solely blamed on the team’s aging wind tunnel, pushing back on recent comments from team principal Christian Horner.

Despite managing a pole-to-flag win in Japan and strong showings in earlier rounds, Verstappen’s sixth-place finish in Bahrain laid bare some persistent weaknesses in the car – particularly its difficulty in maintaining balance and controlling tyre wear on more demanding circuits.

After last weekend’s race, Horner attributed much of Red Bull’s inconsistency to wind tunnel correlation problems that continue to plague the team. But Verstappen believes the explanation is more complex.

“Of course, we're not entirely happy with it and we're working on a new wind tunnel,” the four-time world champion told the media.

“It just takes time, but we already knew that. It's not a new thing this season. We saw back in 2023 that you can't detect certain things in the wind tunnel.”

Beyond the Wind Tunnel: Verstappen’s Perspective

The Dutchman pointed out that Red Bull’s existing wind tunnel, despite its limitations, supported the team’s dominance in previous seasons.

“But the team has experience with that, so they know which direction they should develop in. The only issue is that they can't perfect some small details.

Read also:

• Verstappen on Red Bull exit rumors: ‘Everyone’s talking, except me’

"But it worked in 2022 and 2023, and in 2021 we also had a good car under different regulations.

“So I wouldn't just attribute everything to [the wind tunnel],” he added.

Verstappen’s comments suggest that while the wind tunnel’s shortcomings are a factor, other underlying issues in the RB21’s design and development are contributing to its inconsistent performance.

Looking Ahead to 2026

With Red Bull’s immediate challenges casting a shadow over its 2025 campaign, questions have arisen about the team’s prospects for 2026, when new regulations will reshape the Formula 1 landscape.

Verstappen, however, remains pragmatic, noting that the future is too unpredictable to draw direct comparisons.

“Well that's a completely different car, so you can't compare that. It could be a different team that suddenly gets everything right,” he said when asked if the current struggles make him pessimistic about 2026.

Verstappen’s outlook underlines how unpredictable the next regulation era could be – and that Red Bull, despite its dominant past, cannot take anything for granted.

With other teams like McLaren making significant strides and Red Bull wrestling with both hardware limitations and on-track inconsistencies, Verstappen’s stance offers a candid reminder: championship success demands more than just a strong wind tunnel – it requires precision across every detail.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook