The RB Formula 1 team plans to move to a new aerodynamics facility in Milton Keynes by the end of 2024, announced team principal Laurent Mekies. While RB’s headquarters will remain in Faenza, where the team has been based since the late 1970s, they will be leaving their current facility in Bicester. The team has been using Red Bull’s larger wind tunnel in Bedford since 2022, but a new facility will be built on the Red Bull campus in Milton Keynes. Mekies clarified that no engineers have been asked to move to England, as Faenza is the team’s historic home and has modern facilities. In Bicester, RB has its aerodynamics department, conceptual design, and part of the design office, which were located there due to the proximity to the wind tunnel. However, with the team’s growth and the availability of another wind tunnel, the current location is no longer suitable. Therefore, RB will leave the site at the end of the year and move to Milton Keynes.
McLaren boss Zak Brown raised concerns regarding Red Bull’s ownership of two teams on the Formula 1 grid. Brown expressed concerns about the level of independence between the two Red Bull-owned teams and the strengthened alliance between them. However, Mekies denied any personnel crossover between the teams and emphasized that regulations prohibit the transfer of personnel to circumvent intellectual property regulations. RB has always sought approval from the FIA before any transfer of technicians or engineers, ensuring compliance with regulations.