Red Bull is working on upgrades aimed at closing the performance gap to McLaren.
They intend a timeline of “three to five races” for their introduction, according to team advisor Helmut Marko.
The story for Red Bull so far
At the start of the 2025 season, Red Bull found itself trailing McLaren, the defending constructors’ champion. McLaren’s speed was evident right from Bahrain testing. They confirmed their strong form at the Australian Grand Prix, where Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri locked out the front row, leaving Verstappen behind by a margin of three-tenths.
In the race, the McLarens showed superior pace, pulling away from Verstappen as the Red Bull’s intermediate tyres began to degrade. Although Verstappen’s teammate Lawson was involved in a crash, a spin from Piastri allowed Verstappen to secure second place behind Norris, minimising Red Bull’s loss.
What is the plan for the next weeks?
After the race, Marko reflected on the performance difference between the two teams. He pointed to tyre degradation as a key factor. He also confirmed that upgrades were already being made to help Red Bull address the issue.
“We knew from the tests in Bahrain that the McLarens were quite a bit faster than us,” Marko told Viaplay.
He continued: “We reduced this advantage, 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, along with some other issues. But we know them, and we are working hard. In three to five races, hopefully, we can cure it, so that we have a car on the same level as the McLaren.”
As the season progresses, Red Bull is racing against the clock to catch up to McLaren. However, the team must also shift its focus toward the 2026 regulations in the near future.
Progress is being made at Red Bull
While the task ahead may seem challenging, team principal Christian Horner remains optimistic about the 2025 car.
“This car’s characteristics are much calmer than the RB20,” Horner said. “There aren’t the nasty snaps that there were on the RB20, so that gives us a good, dynamic platform to develop the car from throughout the season.” Horner believes that refining the car’s balance will help mitigate some of the tyre wear issues and improve overall performance as the year goes on.
With this new, more stable platform in place, Red Bull hopes to close the gap to McLaren and make strides toward their long-term goals for the season and beyond.
Feature Image Credit: Red Bull Content Pool
