Racing Bulls is preparing its response: "We have several projects underway."

This break in the calendar is far from a simple rest period for Racing Bulls. It's part of an accelerated development strategy, driven by a busy start to the season and already planned upgrades. Team principal Alan Permane explains this plan: “We have several projects underway. We had planned a major upgrade for Bahrain, which we will now postpone to Miami, as well as another one planned for Montreal; we will proceed with a rapid double upgrade. We will implement one, then replace it immediately, because we cannot do everything at the same time or bring forward the planned upgrade for Montreal.”

In parallel, this freed-up time also allows for in-depth work on the car: "Taking advantage of the return of freight from Japan, we also took the opportunity to carry out some unforeseen work on the chassis, work that was not planned before the end of this series of races abroad." A holistic approach that also includes the human dimension: "Some parts of the team have been working harder than expected, so we've encouraged the race team to take a little rest."

An optimized start to the season despite a structural deficit

On the track, the observation is twofold: a car still limited, but effective operation. Permane accepts this reality without hesitation: “I think we did a good job. I’m not one to congratulate myself, but we performed well in Shanghai. We managed to score points in both the sprint and main races, even if we weren’t quite fast enough. The situation was similar to Suzuka, but we were able to get the most out of the car to bring home points.”

This performance, however, masks a lag compared to some direct competitors. Already observed in Bahrain during preseason testing, this trend has led to inconsistent results for the firm. Faenza. “We’re paying the price against the teams we compete against, who developed their cars last season, while we only finalized ours towards the end of the year; so we’re a bit behind. However, the improvements we’re making should, hopefully, allow us to move closer to the top of the midfield.” This dynamic clearly positions Miami as a first turning point.

The Red Bull engine: between potential and learning

One of the key elements of this progress remains the integration of the new power unit. Here again, the team is proceeding methodically. "The power unit is working very well, and every lap we complete teaches us more. Every time we run the car, we collect valuable data.", explains Permane — a reflection that seems very far removed from that of Red Bull, which benefits from the same engine — which emphasizes the importance of in-house work: "One of our strengths is that we have engineers specializing in powertrains within our design office, which allows us to work closely with them and better understand them and how they work."

This learning phase is far from over: “This break gives us the opportunity to take a step back and assess what we’ve accomplished so far. There will likely be some changes to how we manage the powertrain for Miami and the following races. We’re using this time to work closely together to get the most performance out of both the powertrain and the chassis.” An approach that reflects a team still under construction, but already structured.

A tight pack and drivers adapting

Among the drivers, the discourse converges on the same idea: understanding and exploiting still-new single-seaters. Liam Lawson describes in this regard a constant technical challenge, sometimes difficult to manage during this major transition period. “This year, there’s a pretty significant gap between the performance potential you can extract in the corners – especially when accelerating during qualifying – and the amount of energy you consume. That’s probably the biggest challenge we drivers have had to adapt to.”

Despite this, the overall assessment remains encouraging: “The pre-season went well, and we arrived in Melbourne in great shape. We made the most of our speed, and the team did an excellent job. We managed to score points in every race this year, which gives us a good foundation to continue progressing on.” Arvid Lindblad adopts a similar, progression-focused approach. “As for my expectations, I didn’t set too many; I simply focused on learning. I’m really happy with how the first few races went and, of course, I’m always striving to improve. Everything is evolving, and the midfield is incredibly tight.” A shared lucidity in a context where every detail counts, especially for the only rookie on the grid whose debut was quite convincing.

Regulations and internal dynamics: the keys to what comes next

Beyond pure performance, regulatory issues remain central. While all the teams are on the front lines, Alan Permane highlights the ongoing debates. “It’s not an easy task. We need to listen to the drivers; there are two camps among the fans: those who love this new style of racing and those who don’t. It’s quite exciting to watch live, but we need to work as a team to find the right balance. Our two priorities are to make qualifying more intense and more driver-focused rather than power unit-focused, and to analyze past incidents to determine how to reduce approach speeds.”

In this changing environment, internal cohesion appears as an asset. Liam Lawson emphasizes this dynamic: "Everything went smoothly and very easily. This is largely due to the way we work together and communicate with the team, so it's nice to do it with someone I've known for a long time." A sentiment shared by Lindblad: "We've known each other since the beginning of the program, which really helps. We make a good team and, together, we contribute to moving the team forward."

For Racing Bulls, the rest of the season will therefore depend on a subtle balance between technical development, rapid adaptation and collective solidity, which will need to be put in place from the Miami Grand Prix, from May 1st to 3rd.

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