F1
Would Red Bull be the last team on the grid without Verstappen?
What is the true level of Red Bull 2025? - Photo: Xavi Bonilla / DPPI
What is the real level of the RB21, the latest car from Milton Keynes ? It is difficult to judge it as the difference in performance between Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson has been abysmal in the first two Grands Prix of the season. While the four-time world champion sits second in the Drivers' Championship after Australia and China, his teammate was demoted to Racing Bulls after two races without scoring a single point.
What is the real problem at Red Bull?
The performance disparity between the Austrian team's two cars isn't new, but it seems to be widening. Is it really the second driver's fault, or is there a deeper problem brewing at Red Bull?
« I think they are in big trouble » Former Aston Martin F1 engineer and strategist Bernie Collins told Sky Sports. " They should have analyzed their young talents and determined which one was best suited to handle a forward-oriented aerodynamic balance. »
« So they should focus on the drivers in their pipeline who best fit that profile. They're the ones who will be the most successful. Maybe they should have put them all in an old Red Bull for a day and seen, 'Okay, who can set the fastest lap time in this car with maximum front downforce?' That's become a key criterion. »
« Because if Max leaves or can't race, they are currently the tenth fastest team. Last year, I was criticized for saying that if Max didn't show up for a race, Red Bull would only be the fourth fastest team, even with Checo [Sergio Pérez]. But today, they are tenth. We will see if Yuki [tsunoda] will be able to rectify the situation. »
Promoted to the parent team from Racing Bulls at the Japanese Grand Prix, will Yuki Tsunoda be able to do better than Liam Lawson? That is what Red Bull is hoping for, especially with a view to the Constructors' Championship, where the Milton Keynes team is already 42 points behind McLaren.
« The Constructors' Championship standings are based on the performance of both cars. This is how employees receive their bonuses. " adds Collins. " If Red Bull finds itself aiming for fourth or fifth place, it could be very detrimental to the team. Without bonuses, the best players could be tempted to look elsewhere. »
Including Max Verstappen, who could join Mercedes at the end of this season.
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Valentin GLO
Journalist. Endurance reporter (WEC, IMSA, ELMS, ALMS) and sometimes F1 or IndyCar.
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Yves-Henri RANDIER
30/03/2025 at 01:24 a.m.
"The Constructors' Championship standings are based on the performance of the two cars. That's how employees receive their bonuses." It all depends on Red Bull's salary policy regarding the variable component. Obviously, if Red Bull ends up in 2th or 4th place, it could be detrimental to the team because the best (as always!) could quickly be attracted by new, more lucrative horizons.
30/03/2025 at 08:33 a.m.
Obviously, Max will always drive with the car glued to the front axle. Until proven otherwise, it's worked out pretty well for him...
Lorant
30/03/2025 at 05:35 a.m.
A relevant article that helps us understand Verstapen's dominance and the failures of the "second-stringers" at RB. Will Tsunonda be able to solve this equation and, above all, rise to the challenge? Wait and see...
vincent moyet
29/03/2025 at 11:26 a.m.
This confirms what I think. 1) a car that has been gradually led by Verstappen towards an exaggerated oversteer behavior, that no one else can drive, even he is now struggling with 2) why are they insisting on making the 2nd driver pay for this situation? the answer would be: to satisfy Verstappen they have to give up the constructors' title... so no other choice and they find scapegoats to not face the situation, because how can they do without Verstappen? 3) what would happen if Verstappen left? Not only is the car undriveable but no one can drive it anymore, and some drivers like Albon don't even want to go to RBR anymore, the fault of toxic management trapped by point #2. Subsidiary question: if Verstappen goes elsewhere, disappointed by the lack of results, will he take this oversteer tendency with him and cause the same problem in his future team?