Red Bull Racing withdraws planning application for new multi-million pound F1 testing wind tunnel in Milton Keynes

Red Bull F1 racing bosses have withdrawn their planning application to build a state-of-art wind tunnel to test its racing cars in Milton Keynes.

The reigning world champions had applied to MK City Council for permission to build the multi-million pound facility next to their technology campus in Bradbourne Drive on Tilbrook.

The plan would have meant demolishing and existing warehouse on the site and building the wind tunnel in its place.

But this week the application was suddenly withdrawn before it could be decided by local council officials.

It is understood Red Bull Racing has found a bigger and more suitable site. The location has not yet been revealed but it is believed it is also close to the Tilbrook campus.

This will mean the company must make a fresh planning application and in the meantime it will continue to use its 75-year-old wind tunnel at an old Royal Aircraft Establishment research facility at Twinwoods in Bedfordshire.

Sources say the change of plan will not be a setback though, and the wind tunnel will be ready on the new site to test the team’s 2026 F1 car as originally planned.

The company is currently carrying out a major expansion to its MK headquarters and this includes building of a new Red Bull Powertrains facility, backed by Ford.

Red Bull Racing offers tour of the Milton Keynes factory, giving people a chance to see the inner workings of the machines and the various developmental stages needed to create the latest racing car.

The cost is £300.