Max Verstappen clinched his fourth world title in Las Vegas, but the mood at Red Bull Racing is far from celebratory. The team’s dominance is increasingly under fire, and 2025 looks like it could be an incredibly uncertain year.
Between McLaren’s rapid rise as the leading force on the grid and the steady progress of rivals like Ferrari and Mercedes, Red Bull Racing already seems to be in battle mode to maintain its benchmark status in Formula 1.
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A strong dominance in 2024, but at what cost?
While Red Bull Racing started the season in spectacular fashion, the middle of the year proved far more challenging. McLaren, spearheaded by Lando Norris, emerged as a serious contender, especially after Miami, where the RB20 revealed its weaknesses on low-downforce circuits such as Monza. However, these struggles led the team to uncover a fundamental issue: an unbalanced car setup on specific track types. Improvements became evident in Austin, but they were not enough to decisively outpace the competition. Ferrari and Mercedes capitalized on Red Bull’s vulnerabilities, forcing Verstappen to deliver extraordinary performances, especially in the rain at Brazil, to secure his title. Despite the championship win, the team acknowledges that their success stemmed more from their rivals’ mistakes than from groundbreaking upgrades to the RB20.
Weak spots to address for staying at the top
Pierre Wache, Red Bull Racing’s technical director, did not hold back in his assessment. He believes the team must revisit some core design elements, particularly the rear wing philosophy. At Monza and Vegas, technical decisions aimed at improving performance in high-speed corners left the team struggling on straights—a glaring disadvantage on those specific tracks. But that’s not the only concern. Red Bull aims to create a more versatile F1 car for 2025, capable of excelling across a variety of circuits. Currently, the RB20 shows significant weaknesses in straight-line speed and slow corners, shortcomings partly attributed to budget constraints and questionable technical priorities.
Uncertainty as a driver of excellence?
Interestingly, Wache views this lack of confidence as a strength. For him, being pessimistic drives the team to work harder and avoid complacency. The road to the 2025 F1 season promises to be intense, with a strong focus on every detail—from aerodynamics to downforce management to optimizing performance on low-grip tracks. However, in a grid where McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes are reaping the benefits of their development efforts, Red Bull knows they’ll need to outperform themselves to stay on top. One thing is certain: while their dominance in early 2024 caught the competition off guard, that won’t be the case next year. The rivals will be ready to strike from the first race, setting the stage for one of the tightest Formula 1 seasons we’ve seen in years.
This article explores the challenges Red Bull faces after an exhausting 2024 season. From questionable technical decisions to increasingly aggressive competition, the team finds itself in a vulnerable position heading into 2025. To stay ahead, innovation and learning from past mistakes will be key.
Images: Red Bull Content pool
