The RB Formula 1 team is planning to relocate to a new aerodynamics facility in Milton Keynes by the end of 2024, team boss Laurent Mekies announced. 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 Biscester. The team has been using Red Bull’s larger-scale wind tunnel in Bedford since 2022, but a new facility will be constructed 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 their aero department, concept design, and part of the design office, which were located there for 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 be leaving at the end of the year and relocating to Milton Keynes.
Criticism has been raised by McLaren boss Zak Brown regarding Red Bull’s ownership of two teams on the Formula 1 grid. Brown has expressed concerns about the level of independence between the two Red Bull-owned teams and the strengthening alliance between them. However, Mekies has denied any personnel crossover between the teams and emphasized that the regulations prohibit the transfer of personnel to bypass intellectual property regulations. RB has always sought approval from the FIA before any transfers of technicians or engineers, ensuring compliance with the regulations.