Max Verstappen has admitted Red Bull may struggle for pace this weekend as F1 returns for the Australian GP.
Last season’s RB20 started off the season as the class of the field, but rivals caught Red Bull by the finale in Abu Dhabi.
McLaren took the Constructors’ Championship for the first time since 1998, with Red Bull aiming to reclaim it in 2025.
However, pre-season testing did not go as planned, the new RB21 squirming under acceleration, despite showing pace.
The final day of testing in Bahrain saw the team run flo-vis paint as it attempted to pinpoint and isolate issues.
Ahead of F1’s first race of 2025, Max Verstappen has publicly admitted the new car could struggle in Australia.
An uncertain race ahead for Max Verstappen
Speaking in a print media session on Thursday, Verstappen was coy over Red Bull’s placing in the order.
“Positive shape, I guess. I don’t know. I guess we’ll find out more this weekend and after, but we’ll try to do our best. I mean, there’s not really much more that we can do. I think, you know, testing is not many days, so we found that there are a few areas that we can work on and that’s what we’ll continue to do.
When asked if the team found improvements on the final day of testing, Verstappen admitted there was more work to do.
“I think actually there’s an improvement, but I think I said it before, there are still things that we want to improve on and then do better.
“Now, naturally this is, of course, also a different track to Bahrain, so yeah, that already will feel a bit different to drive the car here, but yeah, step by step.
Max Vertstappen and Red Bull anticipate struggle at Australian GP
When asked if he expected a tighter season compared to 2024, Verstappen admitted Red Bull could struggle in Australia.
He did however state that he was confident he and the team could turn things around during the 24 race season.
“Impossible to know at the moment. I know that we are not the quickest at the moment, but again, it’s a very long season.
“If you would have asked that question here last year and then at the end of the season again, you know, it would be completely different. So a lot of things can always, you know, change quite quickly in Formula One.”
Verstappen’s F1 title defence will begin in Free Practice 1 tomorrow, where he will see the car’s improvements in action.
Feature Image Credit: Red Bull Content Pool/Mark Thompson/Getty Images
