Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies expects the high altitude of the Mexico City Grand Prix to create a unique competitive order, while also providing a timeline for the team’s new wind tunnel.
Mexico City Altitude Challenges
Speaking to Latest F1 News (formula1.com) during Friday’s press conference at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, Mekies noted that the circuit sits more than two kilometers above sea level, forcing teams to make compromises regarding power units and cooling. He confirmed that an earlier power unit issue for Isack Hadjar during FP1 was unrelated to the elevation, and praised the crew for getting the car back on track.
The Frenchman stated that these cooling and power unit demands could result in a one-off pecking order compared to recent rounds. According to Latest F1 News (formula1.com), he admitted it remains unclear whether these conditions will provide Red Bull with an advantage or a disadvantage, noting that significant lap time is at stake across both chassis and power unit setups as teams prioritize survival.
Wind Tunnel Development Timeline
Shifting focus to future infrastructure, Mekies shared an update regarding Red Bull’s new wind tunnel at the Milton Keynes headquarters, which will replace their older facility in Bedford. He explained that the current wind tunnel is likely the oldest on the grid despite its past success, making a state-of-the-art replacement a crucial step for unlocking aero department potential.
Mekies stated that the new facility is scheduled to become operational during 2027, depending on the duration of calibration work. He indicated that the facility’s benefits will likely impact the latter stages of the 2027 car development and the majority of the 2028 car project, rather than yielding immediate gains upon launch.
The timeline follows previous comments from four-time World Champion Max Verstappen, who humorously criticized the age of the current equipment to Viaplay in September. Mekies remains confident that the upgraded facility will eventually grant Red Bull a competitive boost.
