Red Bull’s Aerodynamic Overhaul for the Miami Grand Prix

Red Bull Racing has kicked off its step-by-step upgrade strategy to narrow the gap with the leading McLaren cars, starting with a revised floor design for the Miami sprint weekend. This innovative floor design, which Verstappen will test, includes reprofiled fences and edges.

The Risk of Bringing Substantial Changes

Teams are typically hesitant to introduce significant floor changes during a sprint weekend, as there is only one practice session to fine-tune any new parts. However, according to Chief Engineer Paul Monaghan, the new floor retains a similar balance profile, making it safer to implement at a sprint race without compromising the car’s stability.

The team has stated in its pre-event technical notes that the new floor fences should “extract a small increase in load for the same flow stability.” Furthermore, optimizations have been made to the floor edge wing, featuring greater wing curvature to generate more downforce.

Red Bull’s Staged Upgrade Plan

Red Bull’s phased upgrade plan, which will likely include new parts in Imola and Barcelona later this month, should help address some of the balance issues that left them struggling on a hot and abrasive circuit like Bahrain. Improving through-corner balance should prevent the RB21 from sliding its rear tires, a key factor in McLaren‘s superior tire management.

Addressing the Balance Issues

Monaghan explained that addressing the complaints from Bahrain and continuing to make improvements will help Red Bull Racing. While they may not have completely solved the issue, they are making progress. The team understands what needs to be done, but affecting a cure is not straightforward.

The Road Ahead for Red Bull Racing

Monaghan emphasized that these upgrades won’t provide an instant solution. Instead, it will involve incremental improvements on the car. He noted that he didn’t see much of a difference in Jeddah, suggesting that they may be making progress. Stay tuned for updates on the F1 Miami Grand Prix 2025 with the latest news, expert analysis, exciting videos, and stunning photos from the track.