Formula 1 fans, and in particular those in the Netherlands, will be eagerly awaiting Max Verstappen’s new Red Bull RB21 which will also be driven by full-time rookie Liam Lawson.
Whilst it is only the end of January and still several weeks until the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, several details of Red Bull’s new car are known.
To understand what the RB21 will look like, it is important to first look back at 2024. The team delivered what was a dominant car at the beginning of the season, but one which could not be effectively developed.
The window in which the car functioned became narrower and narrower, whilst the competition, primarily McLaren and Ferrari, managed to improve its cars with targeted upgrades.
Red Bull at least managed to recover a degree of performance from the car at the tail end of the championship, although there appeared to be no permanent solution to the RB20’s problems.
Progress was made, but the RB20’s operating window remained too narrow. This year, its car must become less sensitive to small adjustments for Verstappen to pursue a fifth consecutive drivers’ title. Will the team manage to widen that window for this year?
RacingNews365 understands that Red Bull is committed to simplifying the RB21’s aerodynamics, something that will only be visible through subtle adjustments to the sidepods and engine cover.
The majority of the changes will be invisible, primarily relating to the floor and, to a lesser extent, the underside of the wings.
Red Bull technical director Pierre Wache confirmed that ‘invisible’ point in an exclusive RacingNews365 interview. Wache said: “If you look at the visible aspect of the car, everyone has about the same concept as us in 2022, with a wider bodywork at the rear.
“However, it’s more about how you develop the car under the skin. We are here to do our job and develop the car as well as possible.”
Verstappen priority
The underlying message is not to expect a radically different Red Bull 2025 car. Even if the team saw opportunities to introduce a completely new concept, it is not profitable in a year before F1 implements far-reaching new technical regulations.
Therefore, Red Bull has looked closely at what can be retained from the RB20 and which areas need to be revised.
For the first time since 2007, the main person responsible for this process is not Adrian Newey. F1’s top designer has left Red Bull for Aston Martin. Waché, who worked closely with Newey, has taken over the role as Red Bull’s technical director.
Waché was often criticised when Red Bull’s decline started in 2024, but he was equally responsible for Verstappen winning multiple races again towards the end of last year.
A small warning in advance to new Red Bull driver Lawson: the new car will be built with Verstappen’s driving characteristics in mind. Advisor Helmut Marko has confirmed this.
Marko recently said in his Speedweek column: “Since we have the fastest and best driver in the field in Max, it is also clear that we have to take into account his preferences during development when it comes to the handling of the car.
“I’m sure he will stay with Red Bull Racing as long as we offer him a competitive car.”
What are Verstappen’s car preferences? The Dutchman likes a sharp, responsive front, with an extreme level of sensitivity.
How that feels, former team-mate and current Williams driver Alex Albon once explained in a playful way. Speaking to the Players’ Tribune, Albon said: “As if you are playing Call of Duty with the highest degree of sensitivity of the controller.”
It was a comparison also made recently by Lawson.
© Mark Thompson Oracle Red Bull Racing
Verstappen new livery request
Speaking of Verstappen’s wishes, the 27-year-old is keen for Red Bull to introduce a fresh livery, rather than re-use the design which has largely featured since 2016.
Speaking on the Talking Bulls podcast, Verstappen said: “I’m really looking forward to seeing my new car, especially the livery of it. I hope for something new.
“I really like to see cars with shiny colours. We’ve had so many dull, blue cars now. I think sometimes it’s just nice to spice up the colour scheme a bit.”
The fact that Verstappen made his request known in a podcast set up by Red Bull may indicate that something new may actually be coming.
On the other hand, decking out a car in a full gloss paint is also associated with an increase in weight, but perhaps the increase in the minimum weight of an F1 car by two kilograms gives Red Bull just enough leeway to meet Verstappen’s shiny request.
When you talk about the livery, you are of course also talking about the various sponsorship logos on the car. An F1 car is decorated, or marred, depending on how you look at it, by several stickers of the well-paying sponsors.
Red Bull is no exception, although its sponsorship portfolio for 2025 looks different, meaning the livery will also be adjusted accordingly.
In 2024, crypto company ByBit was prominently visible on the RB20, including on the rear wing, but in 2025 it will no longer be the case. Its contract expired and has not been renewed.
Of course, along with Sergio Perez, some Mexican sponsors have also left the team. On the other hand, new sponsors have already been announced and more collaborations will reportedly be revealed soon.
Perfect Honda farewell?
An F1 car, whether it is very different or not to its predecessor, is nothing without a good engine. For the final time this year, that responsibility lies with Honda, before the Japanese manufacturer joins Newey at Aston Martin as its engine supplier.
Of course, the power unit is broadly the same as in previous years due to the freezing of the regulations, but small software updates just to eke out a little more performance or reliability can be made. A title this year would be the fitting icing on the Red Bull Honda cake.
So, when do we see the RB21? For the first time, F1 is organising a launch show where all 10 teams will be present. This is scheduled for February 18 at the O2 Arena in London.
However, it is expected that the teams will all opt to use a show car, adorned with its new livery.
Red Bull has already indicated that there will be no launch of its own, so there is a good chance that we will only see the RB21 in action for the first time during the official pre-season test in Bahrain.
And even then, it remains to be seen whether the car we see in Bahrain for testing is also the car we will see at the season finale in Abu Dhabi. The question is how often and to what extent the car will change under the influence of major or non-major upgrade packages.
Yes, its lower position of third in the constructors’ standings last year will allow Red Bull to run more wind tunnel hours and computer simulations than before, but every dime can only be spent once and the dilemma regarding when to focus on the 2026 car and the new regulations remains.
One thing we know for sure is that Verstappen’s car will remain with the number 1. As champion, he can choose from the championship number or his traditional, personal number 33.
He has clearly stated in the past that he will continue to carry the #1 as long as he is the champion.
Will that still be the case next year, however? Only time will tell.
