Revealed: First details of Verstappen’s new Red Bull
In 2024, Red Bull provided Max Verstappen with a car that allowed the Dutchman to win his fourth F1 title.
However, the team slipped to third in the constructors’ championship, but that was not only due to the unsatisfactory performances of Sergio Perez.
Throughout 2024, it was emphasised several times that the RB20 proved to be a very complicated car, mainly because it had an extremely small working window. The aerodynamic and dynamic balance posed challenges after the first six races.
The engineers of the Milton Keynes-based team worked hard for most of the season to find causes and solutions to the current situation. Starting in Brazil, an acceptable compromise was found to achieve the expected performance – however, that did not mean that a final solution had been found.
In the 2025 forecast, Pierre Waché, Red Bull’s technical director, stated there was in fact a gap between dynamics and aerodynamics – on the latter element, the shortcomings appeared more and more in the RB20 concept.
For example, the suspensions, especially the front suspension tuning, were no longer able to provide a stable platform for the car’s aerodynamic concept.
Simplification of the car
RacingNews365 understands that the aerodynamics team led by Enrico Balbo evaluated the RB20 to see what could be used for the base of the RB21, as well as what had to be scrapped.
The conclusion of the engineers was the aerodynamic concept needed to be simplified in terms of internal dynamics of airflow.
Essentially, that means an agreed-upon starting point of a more rational internal concept compared to the RB20, as it also has advantages in managing the airflow along the bodywork.
The management of the outgoing hot flow was at the root of an awkward operation of the aerodynamics at the rear last year.
The hot flow, as well as the new engine cover design introduced in Hungary, did not allow for proper interaction between the rear wing and diffuser. Furthermore, several resources could not be used due to the new engine cover as it impacted matters such as budget and aerodynamic research.
The simpler concept of the RB21 is visually reflected only at the sidepods and at the top of the engine cover. However, it is very functional for a deeper investigation of airflow dynamics.
In practice, it can’t be justified to say that the car is going to be significantly different in design, but it is going to be more accurate in terms of underlying aerodynamics. That relates to the floor and wings.
Management of front-end flexibility is also an important factor. It is likely that front wing flexibility will return to a less extreme approach. All in all, it seems that Red Bull has removed the aerodynamic and dynamic elements that brought the car into crisis.
With the suspension, Red Bull continues to use a pull rod at the front and a push rod at the rear, with different, new kinematics of the latter component. Essentially, the car is set to return to the basics with no special tricks involved.
View a first draft of the RB21 below!
