Doubts cloud over Red Bull’s readiness for the 2025 Formula 1 season opener, according to Max Verstappen, the team’s leading driver. Despite much anticipation for the performance of the 2025 car during pre-season testing, Verstappen’s expectations fell short. The core objective for Red Bull was to broaden their car’s setup window in response to balance issues experienced during the 2024 season. However, their inconsistent performance during the three-day testing in Bahrain showed there is still much work to be done.
Verstappen, along with his teammate Liam Lawson, ran several tests on the new RB21, but not without setbacks. Lawson was forced to cut short his full day test due to a water leak, while Verstappen could not see through a complete race simulation. Moreover, the removal of a floor upgrade and a flurry of aero tests towards the end of the day left Red Bull in a position that could be best described as ‘swift, yet challenging.’
In a recent interview with Dutch broadcaster Viaplay, the four-time world champion expressed his anticipation of a tough start to the season. Verstappen’s doubts about Red Bull’s ability to compete for the win in Melbourne have been tempered by hopes for some advancements in the following few races.
When questioned on his satisfaction with the car’s progression over the winter, Verstappen responded with a laugh, “Well, it’s never good enough, of course! But yes, I think we ourselves perhaps expected a little bit more in Bahrain.” The interview also hinted at an improvement on the understeer issue that plagued Verstappen last season, although it remains a concern.
These sentiments contradict Verstappen’s earlier optimism during the testing phase, where he reported that the car had only pleasantly surprised him. However, by the end of the test, his frustration became evident.
Red Bull’s post-test analysis has reportedly identified ways to better set the car up, a crucial insight for the season’s start. However, the belief persists that Red Bull will be somewhat behind their competitors. This aligns with Red Bull’s technical director Pierre Wache’s sentiments, who admitted to a less than smooth pre-season and suggested that the team is starting from a disadvantage.
“I am not as happy as I could be because the car did not respond how we wanted at times, but it is going in the right direction,” Wache commented. He added that the progress made was not as significant as they had hoped, signaling a need for more work.
Red Bull’s struggle to improve their 2024 car, combined with their rivals’ significant advancements, particularly in exploiting aeroelasticity in their front and rear wings, resulted in a drastic slump in Red Bull’s dominant form. Despite Verstappen clinching his fourth consecutive world championship, Red Bull was decisively defeated in the constructors’ race.
Verstappen openly criticized the team in the middle of the season, claiming that some in Red Bull were not aware of the looming threat and didn’t take his concerns about the car seriously. However, the team managed to make some progress towards the end of the year with a ‘patch’ on the 2024 car to make it slightly more user-friendly, albeit at the expense of performance.
As the 2025 season approaches, the team’s aspiration is to present a car that is not only faster but also instills more confidence in the drivers and offers a wider operational range.