Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner has explained the team’s hopes for the 2025 season, and how the RB21 has been developed in consideration of the new regulations coming into effect in the coming years.
However, the team is not planning to make any drastic changes to their current F1 car, the RB20, for the next season, as they feel the investment would not be sustainable long-term.
What changes can we expect to see in the RB21?
As mentioned, Red Bull is hesitant to implement any major changes to their 2025 car. They admitted both the new 2026 regulations and cost cap were big contributors to this decision.
Despite feeling the need for development in other areas, Horner feels positive about the engineering team produced by Red Bull. He feels their Chassis development has majorly improved over the years, but they can not be distracted from the areas that still need improvement.
Whilst working closely with Ford for their engine, they want to improve in other areas like wind tunnel correlation. The team has invested in new facilities to develop these improvements, but it is unlikely to be ready until 2026.
In a conversation with AutoSport, Horner described the Wind Tunnel as extremely outdated.
Red Bull looking to change their 2025 Driver Lineup
Aside from the technological development taking place at Red Bull, there is a lot of discussions centered on the future of their drivers for 2025. Sergio Perez’s seat has been under discussion for months following a series of crashes and poor race results. Consequently, drivers like Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson have been put into contention for his seat.
Lawson was recently confirmed by RB to be racing in place of Daniel Ricciardo for the rest of 2024. Despite this, it is yet to be confirmed where he will be racing in the 2025 season and beyond. This potentially leaves Lawson as an option for Red Bull if they choose to part ways with Perez.
Tsunoda will remain at RB and will become teammates with Lawson from the Austin Grand Prix. Currently being 12th in the championship standings, it is clear that he is eager to prove his ability in F1. Tsunoda has been linked to a Red Bull seat for months and has previously expressed his goal to drive for them in the media.
Currently, Perez is under a two-year contract extension with Red Bull. Nevertheless, Horner has clarified that the driver’s future is not guaranteed with the team.
