Verstappen Expresses Concerns About Red Bull’s Competitiveness for 2025 Season Opener
Max Verstappen has indicated that Red Bull Racing may struggle to compete for victory in the upcoming Formula 1 season opener. Expressing disappointment with the team’s new 2025 car performance during pre-season testing in Bahrain.
The four-time world champion, speaking via video link from Monza where his GT team is currently testing, told Dutch broadcaster Viaplay that he does not believe Red Bull “can compete for the win in Melbourne” but is hopeful for “some improvements within a few races.”
it’s never good enough
When questioned about his satisfaction with the car’s winter development, Verstappen responded with laughter, saying, “Well, it’s never good enough, of course! But yes, I think we ourselves perhaps expected a little bit more in Bahrain.”
Red Bull’s testing program in Bahrain was marked by inconsistency across three days as the team conducted numerous experiments with their new RB21, attempting to better understand the car’s characteristics and evaluate various setup changes. Verstappen did not complete a full race simulation, while teammate Liam Lawson’s testing time was reduced due to a water leak issue.
The testing concluded with Red Bull’s performance described as “quick, but difficult” after the team ran multiple aerodynamic tests and removed a floor upgrade during the final day.
Verstappen reportedly mentioned that while the understeer issues that plagued him last season have somewhat diminished, they haven’t been completely resolved. This assessment contrasts with his initially more positive outlook early in testing, when he had suggested the car was delivering what he needed with only positive surprises.
By the conclusion of testing, however, Verstappen showed signs of frustration. His recent comments align with a growing sentiment within Red Bull that the team might need to focus on damage limitation in the early races. Until they can fully optimize the car’s potential, which they believe should eventually enable them to compete for wins again.
pre-season
Technical Director Pierre Wache acknowledged these challenges. Admitting that pre-season testing had not been “smooth” and suggesting Red Bull might be starting the season at 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 stated. “Just maybe the magnitude of the direction was not as big as we expected. It’s something we need to work on for the first race and future development.”
These current challenges follow Red Bull’s difficulties in developing their 2024 car. While the team started last season dominantly, their form declined significantly as rivals made substantial improvements. Particularly in exploiting aeroelasticity in their front and rear wings. Though Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive championship, Red Bull lost the constructors’ title and ultimately replaced his teammate Sergio Perez at season’s end.
Throughout mid-2024, Verstappen repeatedly voiced concerns that some within Red Bull weren’t taking the competitive threat or his feedback about the car seriously enough. The team made some progress late in the season with what they described as a “patch” to improve drivability at the expense of some performance.
For 2025, Red Bull aims to deliver a car that is not only faster but offers drivers greater confidence and functions effectively across a wider range of conditions.
