Verstappen’s Optimism for the 2025 Season
Max Verstappen, the reigning four-time world champion, has expressed a cautious optimism about Red Bull’s new Formula 1 challenger for the 2025 season. Speaking during the pre-season testing in Bahrain, Verstappen noted that while 2024 was a challenging year for the team, the new car shows significant improvements across the board. "It can’t be worse than last year," he quipped, emphasizing that the direction the team is taking is positive. Despite the team’s third-place finish in the constructors’ standings behind McLaren and Ferrari, Verstappen believes that the new car is a step in the right direction, even though the bar for improvement was set quite low after last year’s struggles.
Reflecting on 2024: A Year of Challenges
2024 was a year of unprecedented challenges for Red Bull. After a dominant 2023, where Verstappen won 19 out of 22 races, the team faced significant setbacks. The car was unpredictable and had poor balance, leading to a decline in performance. Red Bull managed to win only two of the final 14 grands prix, a stark contrast to the seven victories in the opening 10 races. The mid-season development issues were particularly problematic, and Verstappen acknowledged that the team had to address several problems. The new car is seen as a response to these issues, with a focus on stability and balance to regain their competitive edge.
Verstappen’s Influence on Development
When asked about his influence on the development of the 2025 car, Verstappen noted that the team and he had a clear understanding of what needed to be changed. "Some cars don’t need much influence. For myself and the team, at some point last year we knew something was up," he explained. Verstappen’s feedback has been crucial in addressing the car’s shortcomings. "The car needs to go faster, and that’s what we try to apply," he said. The team has taken a more collaborative approach, leveraging Verstappen’s experience and insights to make necessary adjustments. This hands-on involvement is expected to contribute to the car’s improved performance in the upcoming season.
Early Days and Continuous Improvement
Despite the positive initial feedback, Verstappen remains realistic about the early stages of testing. "At the moment, it’s really early days – a lot of things we are still discussing and wanting to improve," he stated. The team is focusing on extracting the maximum potential from the new car, and Verstappen’s enjoyment of the car during the first day of testing is a promising sign. "Yesterday I enjoyed it and that’s already a big difference to last year," he noted. The team is committed to refining the car’s performance and ensuring it is competitive in a variety of circuit conditions.
Learning from the Past
The difficult 2024 season has provided valuable lessons for Red Bull. Verstappen believes that the team has learned a lot from their setbacks and is applying those lessons to the 2025 car. "We tried to solve those problems and now we have to see how the car performs in Australia, which is another completely different circuit [to Bahrain]," he said. The team’s ability to adapt and innovate based on last year’s challenges is a key factor in their optimistic outlook for the 2025 season. The focus on continuous improvement and learning from past experiences will be crucial as Red Bull aims to return to the top of the standings.
Looking Ahead to the First Race
The pre-season testing in Bahrain has given Red Bull and Verstappen a solid foundation to build upon. The team is now looking forward to the first race of the season in Australia, where they will face a different set of challenges. Verstappen’s confidence in the new car and the team’s ability to refine and improve it over the coming months is a positive sign for Red Bull fans. The 2025 season promises to be a test of the team’s resilience and their ability to bounce back from last year’s difficulties. With Verstappen at the helm and a renewed focus on performance, Red Bull is poised to make a strong comeback.
