Red Bull’s Struggle for Balance in the Upcoming F1 Season

Max Verstappen acknowledges that it may be unrealistic for Red Bull to catch McLaren over the 2025 Formula 1 season, as they focus on small, gradual upgrades to address handling issues. The team’s balance problems were starkly evident during the grueling Bahrain Grand Prix, with Verstappen managing to pass Pierre Gasly’s Alpine only on the final lap, finishing 34 seconds behind ‘s winner Oscar Piastri.

Post-Race Analysis and Future Strategies

The disappointing weekend has prompted discussions on how to approach upcoming races while working diligently in the factory to expedite incremental updates. “Right now, it’s not realistic to say we’ll make such a big jump,” Verstappen said. “But we are trying to find as much lap time as possible.

Verstappen believes that former Red Bull designer Rob Marshall, who joined McLaren last year and is credited for his expertise on wing flexing, plays a significant role in ‘s recent form improvement. “Yeah, I do think he is making the difference there,” he argued. “Once he joined you could see that clearly.

Red Bull’s Progress and Upcoming Updates

In terms of Red Bull’s own progress, the team is preparing update packages for Imola in May and Barcelona in June. Verstappen expressed frustration that the Milton Keynes-based squad continues to grapple with the same balance issues as last year, but he feels the team now has a better understanding of what is missing compared to the middle of last year.

Now we at least know what our problems are,” Verstappen added. “Until Monza last year, it was more that we didn’t know where to look or what to search for. That’s a bit clearer now, which gives us hope that we can bring updates to hopefully change the balance of the car.

One-Lap Pace and Future Prospects

A silver lining was the team’s better one-lap pace in Friday practice in Saudi Arabia, although it still seemed well behind McLaren on longer runs when rear tyre wear comes into play. “I think that was the best Friday for quite a big while,” team advisor Helmut Marko said.

Asked about what to expect from Red Bull’s update path, Marko said any improvements would be gradual rather than game changers. “We made a small improvement here, so we hope that the same happens in Miami – and in Imola there are some [new parts],” the Austrian explained. “It’s not a big upgrade, so it’s step by step.

Future Challenges and Title Hopes

The form can change in Barcelona [when rules on front wing flexing are tightened], but nobody knows until we try it, so we won’t rely just on the new regulations from Barcelona onwards. Meanwhile, Verstappen looks resigned to accept that extending his four-year title streak will be a tough ask. “This isn’t where we want to be of course, but what can I do? I can scream and shout, but that won’t help,” he shrugged. “Of course I want [a fifth title], but unfortunately you can’t always win everything.