In the current regulation cycle, we saw Red Bull dominate in 2022 and 2023. However, the car was just not the same in 2024. Although Max Verstappen won the Drivers’ Championship last year, the Austrian team failed to bring home the Constructors’ title. Aware that the RB20 was not the best car on the grid, Pierre Wache decided to make some changes to the RB21 and has now revealed those changes to Planet F1.
Heading into the 2025 season, Red Bull has an uphill task ahead of them. After the pre-season testing at Bahrain, it seems as though McLaren is currently the team to beat as the season starts in Melbourne. So now, let’s see what changes Red Bull has made to challenge the Papaya army.
Pierre Wache reveals Red Bull RB21 modifications ahead of the Australian GP
During an exclusive interview with Planet F1, Pierre Wache revealed what changes the team have made in the RB21.
“We modified most of the stuff that is maybe not as visible as the older car (RB20) – the concepts overall stay the same – but plenty of stuff has changed underneath and inside the car that, in terms of cooling, suspension, aero package, everything has changed to achieve the characteristics we like.”
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According to Wache, the RB20 had a lot of potential, but in order to unlock this potential, it would become more difficult for the drivers. Hence, the modifications that Wache and his technical team have made in the RB21 will hopefully make it easier for Max and his new teammate, Liam Lawson.
But these changes are not major as this is the last season of the current technical regulations cycle. From the 2026 season, a new set of Technical regulations will come into play that will force all the teams to drastically change their cars. If Red Bull had introduced some major changes to the RB21, they would have to compromise the R&D for the 2026 challenger.
Pierre Wache responds to Adrian Newey’s ‘inexperienced’ comment
Back in January, Adrian Newey was asked by AMuS why the RB20 was not as strong as its predecessor that won 21 out of the 22 races in 2023. To this, he replied:
“It’s something I was starting to become concerned about [the development direction], but not many other people in the organisation seemed to be very concerned about,” Newey told Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport.
“From what I can see from the outside, but I don’t know, the guys at Red Bull – this is no criticism, but I think they just perhaps, through lack of experience, kept going in that same direction, and the problem came more and more acute to the point that even Max found it difficult to drive.”
Planet F1 asked Pierre Wache for his reaction to Newey calling him and his technical team inexperienced. Wache replied:
“It’s true that I have a lot less experience than him!” he said.
“He’s 66 years old, and I’m 50 – 16 years less experience than him. I cannot comment on that.
“I don’t take it personally, and maybe it’s true. It doesn’t change anything, I think what you have to learn… this type of comment, for me, doesn’t matter.”
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Pierre Wache is completely unbothered by Newey’s comment. According to Wache, he has a job to do, and he will do it with the tools he has.
Newey has been building championship-winning cars since the 1990s. Wache, on the other hand, has only been working for F1 teams since 2007, when he joined BMW. In 2013, Wache joined Red Bull as their Chief Engineer for Vehicle Performance and has since climbed up the ranks.
So, there is no doubt that Newey has much more experience than any engineer on F1. Wache accepts this and will continue to remain unbothered by Newey’s comments as he focuses on developing the future of Red Bull’s F1 cars.
