Red Bull has had a difficult start to the 2025 F1 season, as the Austrian team loses yet more ground in both championships. Max Verstappen is 32 points behind the leader, Oscar Piastri, while Red Bull is 141 points behind McLaren. The team had to restructure and swap the under-performing Liam Lawson for Yuki Tsunoda.
With Red Bull failing to match McLaren’s pace, the Milton Keynes-based team has work to do to catch up. The team plans to bring more upgrades in the coming races. Max Verstappen hopes the updates will help the team close in on the championship leaders.
Max Verstappen hopes Red Bull upgrades will help balance the car
Red Bull is bringing another set of upgrades in the next few races, after the Austrian team brought a new underfloor for Max Verstappen in Miami. Although the upgrades worked, it is clear they still have to find more speed. Verstappen is hopeful the upgrades for Imola can help catch McLaren.
Speaking to De Telegraaf, the Dutchman said: “Hopefully the upcoming upgrades will provide a better balance in the car. But we will continue to struggle with the tyres getting too hot. If you then look at the lead McLaren has, realistically, we don’t have a very big chance of winning.”
🔵| Helmut Marko on Red Bull’s pace:
“The main conclusion is we are too slow, we saw when they were driving flat out, we are seven tenths of a second behind. We saw the real speed for the first time. We have to find some performance straight away, but it was depressing how quick… pic.twitter.com/Mry4j9HrmT
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) May 4, 2025
Red Bull chief advisor Helmut Marko was asked if the next upgrades would be enough to catch McLaren. He replied: “It was depressing how quick the McLarens really are. It has to be, but such a big step is difficult to catch up.”
Max Verstappen can deliver a qualifying lap in the RB21. He has put his car in pole position in half the races so far this season. The problem is that he has only been able to convert a pole into a win on one occasion in Japan. The 2025 challenger lacks pace over a race distance to McLaren, who looked in a league of their own in Miami.
Why is the RB21 struggling so far?
The RB21 has had problems evident since the curtain raiser in Australia. The 2025 challenger struggles with balance issues and has a small operating window, making it sensitive to any small setup changes. The RB21 also has oversteer tendencies, meaning the car loses rear grip and is difficult to turn in corners. This is made worse by the car being unpredictable in corners.
Yuki Tsunoda Praises Max Verstappen’s Superior Sensitivity to RB21’s Needs During Qualifying
Tyre issues have also plagued the RB21, with higher degradation than their rivals. In Japan, this wasn’t seen as the track had been resurfaced, meaning Verstappen’s tyres could hold on. However, in most races this season, especially in Bahrain, the Red Bull couldn’t look after its tyres as well as McLaren and Mercedes.
Both Liam Lawson and, to a lesser extent, Yuki Tsunoda, have struggled to get to grips with the RB21. The car is difficult to drive, and they both found it difficult to get the right setup. Max Verstappen can adapt well and drive an oversteering car, but others find it difficult to tame it. This is costing Red Bull vital points in the constructors’ championship.
