Red Bull is setting its sights on closing the gap to McLaren in the 2025 Formula 1 season, with the team planning to roll out upgrades to its RB21 car within the next “three to five races” to address its most pressing issue: tyre degradation.
The season kicked off with McLaren’s Lando Norris converting pole position into a commanding victory at the Australian Grand Prix, leaving Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in second place—less than a second behind at the chequered flag but significantly adrift during key phases of the race.
The early result underscored McLaren’s edge, particularly in tyre management, and has spurred Red Bull into action as they aim to reclaim their competitive footing.
McLaren’s Tyre Advantage Shines in Melbourne
The Australian Grand Prix laid bare Red Bull’s current Achilles’ heel. Verstappen mounted a strong challenge to Norris in the opening and closing stages.
But his efforts were undermined by a mid-race slump where he haemorrhaged 14 seconds in just 10 laps to the McLaren duo of Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri.
At one point, Verstappen trailed by over 18 seconds, a gap only erased by a timely Safety Car.
Reflecting on the race, the reigning world champion pinpointed tyre overheating as the decisive factor.
“If you look at the first stint, we were quite a bit off,” he explained. “As soon as the tyres started to overheat we had no chance. McLaren just took off.
“That’s where we – and a lot of teams – are struggling compared to McLaren. They’re simply doing a better job on that.”
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Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s advisor, echoed Verstappen’s assessment, admitting that McLaren’s MCL39 enjoys a clear advantage in tyre preservation.
“We knew from the tests in Bahrain that the McLarens were quite a bit faster than us,” Marko told Viaplay.
“This advantage was reduced, I would say, from half a second to two or three tenths. We can follow them for six to eight laps, but then our tyre degradation comes earlier.
“That’s the main problem, with some other problems as well.”
Verstappen’s initial push on Intermediate tyres faded as degradation set in, a stark contrast to McLaren’s ability to maintain pace—a disparity Marko and the team are determined to rectify.
Upgrades in the Pipeline
Despite the early setback, Red Bull remains optimistic about turning the tide. Marko revealed that the team is already hard at work on developments tailored to address the RB21’s limitations.
“But we know them, and they are working hard,” he said. “In three to five races hopefully we can cure it, so that we have a car on the same level as the McLaren.
This timeline suggests Red Bull fans can expect to see tangible improvements by mid-season, as the team looks to claw back ground lost to McLaren following a developmental misstep in 2024 that saw balance issues plague the RB20 and allow their rivals to surge ahead.
Team principal Christian Horner also expressed confidence in the RB21’s potential, highlighting its improved stability as a foundation for progress.
“We did some big set up changes in Bahrain [in pre-season testing],” Horner explained.
“So, we purposely wanted to go to extremes to understand the set up parameters, so that you’ve got your toolbox of knowledge when you go racing.
“I think the characteristics that this car has is much calmer than [the] RB20. I think actually it’s a platform to develop through the season. There’s not the nasty snaps that there was on [the] RB20.
“So that gives us a good dynamic platform for us to develop the car through the season. Through all the different races that we’re going to head to.”
Verstappen’s Call to Action
For Verstappen, the Melbourne result was a mixed bag. While he secured a strong second place, he was candid about the scale of the challenge ahead.
“So we still have a lot of work to do to fight for a win,” he said. “But I’m happy that we are second here.
“It’s basically one place better than we should have been and it’s 18 more points than I had last year at this race.”
Verstappen stressed the urgency of improving the RB21’s tyre performance, noting: “That’s what we need to work on,” as he acknowledged McLaren’s superior execution in that area.
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