In an audacious bid to reclaim their dominance in Formula 1, Red Bull Racing has unveiled an aggressive strategy to introduce significant upgrades to their 2025 F1 car within the coming three to five races. The aim is clear, chase down their rivals, McLaren, who have taken an early lead this season.
This season’s inaugural Australian Grand Prix confirmed the widely held belief that McLaren was the team to beat. Lando Norris of McLaren, starting from pole position, lived up to expectations by leading the pack. His most significant challenge came from Red Bull’s ace driver, Max Verstappen, who tried to mount a challenge at the start and finish of the race. However, a spell in the middle saw Verstappen lose a staggering 14 seconds over ten laps to the McLaren duo.
This fall back was attributed to Verstappen’s Intermediates deteriorating faster than expected, a fact conceded by Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko. He acknowledged McLaren’s MCL39’s superior ability to manage tyre wear as a critical factor in their current advantage.
Despite this setback, there’s a sense of optimism within the Red Bull camp, fuelled by the promise of upcoming developments aimed at mitigating their current limitations. Speaking to Viaplay, Marko admitted, “We knew from the tests in Bahrain that the McLarens were quite a bit faster than us.” However, he quickly added, “We reduced this advantage, I would say, from half a second to two or three tenths. In three to five races hopefully we can cure it, so that we have a car on the same level as the McLaren.”
It’s clear that Red Bull’s primary challenge is the early onset of tyre degradation, which affects their ability to maintain pace with McLaren. However, they are fully aware of this, and other issues, and they are working tirelessly to address them.
The team has been struggling since 2024 when a development misstep led to balance issues, allowing McLaren to surge ahead. Despite this, Red Bull’s Team Principal, Christian Horner, remains upbeat about the team’s prospects. Speaking to Motorsport Week, he noted significant setup changes made during pre-season testing in Bahrain. He believes these changes have laid the groundwork for a more stable and promising car for the 2025 season.
He stated, “I think the characteristics that this car has is much calmer than [the] RB20. I think actually it’s a platform to develop through the season.” Horner is confident that the absence of erratic traits that plagued the previous model will provide a solid foundation for the team to improve their performance throughout the ongoing season.
While Red Bull is playing catch-up, the team’s proactive approach and determination to introduce necessary upgrades early in the season underscore their commitment to reclaiming their spot at the top of F1. As the racing season progresses, it will be interesting to see how this strategic push unfolds in their quest to outpace McLaren on the F1 tracks.