In the grand prix landscape, Red Bull’s Formula 1 car for the 2025 season has made its debut in Bahrain. The striking similarity of this vehicle to the RB20, Red Bull’s 2024 contender, has had tongues wagging. Despite the visual similarity, Team Chief, Christian Horner, assures that the new vehicle has gone through a complete overhaul.
In Horner’s words, each surface of the car has undergone a transformation from the previous year’s model. The resemblance to the RB20 is a result of Red Bull adhering to a design philosophy that worked well for them in the past. The new model has subtle differences in numerous areas, showcasing the brand’s attention to detail, a crucial aspect in the high-speed, precision-oriented world of Formula 1 racing.
Let’s delve into the visible changes. Red Bull can’t conceal the tweaks and our sharp-eyed pitlane photographers have captured them all. The red ellipses highlight the modified parts, replaced or redesigned by those marked by the green ellipses.
Starting with the sidepod, the gulley appears less aggressive, blending more seamlessly with the body surface. However, the inner body surface remains quite bulbous, accommodating the small inlet duct and its associated ductwork, located beside the driver’s headrest. The beam wing, which we’ll elaborate on later, has also been revamped.
Moving on to the driver’s headrest area, a comparison with the 2024 model reveals minor yet significant changes. The parts highlighted with red ellipses have been altered or removed. The duct’s raised section above the driver’s head, visible in the top image, has been eliminated, resulting in a more compact surface at the top of the driver’s headrest.
New additions are seen in the parts marked with green ellipses in the bottom image. These small horizontal vanes are designed to stabilize the airflow and keep it attached as it comes off the end of the rear halo mounting.
Interestingly, Red Bull has incorporated flow-vis in the inlet of these small ducts. As any F1 enthusiast would know, managing spillage when the duct reaches its flow limit is crucial for consistent performance. The spillage travels along the lower intersection of the duct and the top surface of the sidepod, further moving down the sidepod gulley.
Focusing on the beam wing, it’s a component that teams modify to suit circuit requirements. The beam wing and diffuser work in harmony to enhance drag reduction when the DRS on the upper wing is engaged, boosting the top speed.
Comparing the ’24 and ’25 Red Bull, the concept isn’t new, but rather an optimized version of what Red Bull deems best for the Bahrain circuit requirements. The regulations allow a maximum of two elements within a specified box area.
The main element and the secondary element on the 2025 model are marked by red and light blue arrows respectively. The current model is designed to be more efficient, producing slightly less downforce but providing a reasonable drag reduction when the DRS is open.
Finally, the floor of the car features small turning vanes that are hard to spot but crucial to performance. One such fin, fitted horizontally on the side of the floor keel, seems to have been reduced in size. This fin is designed to redirect the airflow to the leading edge of the underfloor. The turning vanes on the floor edge, marked with red ellipses, appear to have been slightly reprofiled.
According to Horner, these minor yet detailed developments are the hallmark of modern Formula 1 design. The era of radical reinventions is over; now, it’s all about refining the details. As always, the true test of these changes will be the stopwatch on the track.
