As the Australian Grand Prix approaches, Max Verstappen, the reigning four-time World Champion, has had a significant morale boost after a fruitful session with the Red Bull RB21 simulator. This update comes from his father, Jos Verstappen, who gave an inside look into how the Bahrain testing didn’t quite meet expectations for Max, but the simulator session has since turned the tide positively.
While testing times can be misleading, it’s the impressive pace set by McLaren in their race simulations that truly caught the attention of competitors. Red Bull’s senior advisor, Helmut Marko, even went as far as acknowledging McLaren’s apparent lead, stating they held a one-second per lap advantage. Based on interactions with various teams and on-site observations, PlanetF1.com predicts McLaren to take the lead, with Red Bull/Mercedes and Ferrari trailing behind.
Prior to the simulator session, Verstappen had dismissed the idea of a victorious start in Melbourne as he sets his sights on a fifth consecutive World Championship. Pierre Wache, Red Bull’s technical director, confessed that their latest model, the RB21, didn’t always perform as expected during the Bahrain test.
However, Max Verstappen’s outlook has significantly improved after a crucial simulator session, according to his father, Jos. During a conversation on Joe radio, Jos Verstappen revealed that Max initially felt extremely positive after the first testing day. However, subsequent changes to the parts left him less satisfied. Although the team reverted back to the initial setup, Max couldn’t recapture the positive feeling he initially had.
Things took a turn for the better when Max spent time in the simulator last week in England. Upon his return, Max reportedly felt much more optimistic about the upcoming race.
Despite dominating F1’s ground effect era until last year, Red Bull faced challenges with balance issues in the RB20, which resulted in a 10-race winless streak. Consequently, Red Bull fell to third place in the Constructors’ lineup, behind McLaren and Ferrari. Nevertheless, Verstappen managed to clinch his fourth consecutive World Championship, fending off McLaren’s Lando Norris.
With the new season starting from scratch, Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes all have their eyes set on the 2025 title. Jos Verstappen expressed his hopes for an exciting season where several teams stand on equal ground.
In the past, Verstappen and Red Bull have held private discussions with Liam Lawson, as they prepare for what promises to be a thrilling racing season. As the countdown to F1 2025 begins, fans and teams alike are eagerly anticipating what the new season will bring.
