Is the RB21 Challenger Too Challenging for Red Bull?
Christian Horner, Red Bull team principal, described the RB21 Challenger last year as “An evolution”. The team’s 2025 car is meant to be a step up from their 2024 model. However with already one driver swap before the third race, and their world champion superstar bemoaning the new developments. Fans are wondering what direction could Red Bull’s car evolve.
Red Bull went into this year knowing the potential threat of the McLaren team. A threat that has proven itself legitimate in the beginnings of the 2025 season. The engineering strategy, then, was to avoid a total revamp and stick to what’s been working. This was a practical decision as much as a strategic one in light of the new FIA cost cap limits. With a finite amount of resources to spread, there’s no reason to redesign major aspects of the car that are functioning as intended. So far, that approach has not been yielding the hoped-for results.
One element possibly holding back the team could be their Cold War-era testing facilities. Red Bull has been using the same wind tunnel since they joined F1 back in 2005. As the design of the car grows more and more sophisticated, Red Bull’s outdated tools become more and more of a liability. “We've always known the limitations of the tunnel, but I think as we've really started to push the aerodynamics of these cars now and you're into really fine margins, then the limitations show themselves up,” commented Christian Horner.
However, it's the actual design of the RB21 Challenger that may hold the most answers. Technical Director Pierre Wache confirmed at the start of the year that the changes made in the 2025 season were going to mostly be invisible, with adjustments on the underside of the front wing and engine covers. The expectation being set was not a revolution, but an evolution. Yet, Red Bull’s 2024 performance was disappointing, beginning the season nearly bulletproof, then fading into the pack and unable to keep up. An evolution from the back foot would look exactly like what we are thus far seeing on the track.
2026 will mark a watershed year for Red Bull. They plan on running their own engine designed in conjunction with Ford and will have to deal with the new swath of FIA regulations along with everyone else. They may just be biding their time as they wait for the next season to get underway. You just have to wonder about what it will cost them in their current season. With Liam Lawson out and Yuki Tsunoda in, how much is Red Bull willing to compromise to make do with what they have?
