Verstappen’s miracles are not enough to save a difficult season for Red Bull, both on and off the track.
Red Bull entered the season knowing that it would no longer have the dominant edge it enjoyed in previous years. From the start, the new RB21 proved to be a car far behind McLaren and, at times, even trailing Ferrari and Mercedes in the hierarchy.
Internal management issues added to the challenges: after just two races, Liam Lawson was replaced by Yuki Tsunoda, a decision many considered hasty and harsh. At the same time, Christian Horner’s dismissal after Silverstone and the arrival of Laurent Mekies as the new team principal marked the end of an era and the beginning of a leap into the unknown.
The car
The RB21 is far from perfect: it lacks grip and race pace, with Verstappen himself repeatedly highlighting the lack of confidence in the car. After the Bahrain weekend, which ended with a sixth-place finish in the race following a seventh in qualifying, he openly described Red Bull as “simply too slow.”
The updates introduced, such as the new floor in Miami and subsequent developments, did not yield the expected results, leaving the team in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, 42 points behind Mercedes and 66 behind Ferrari.
The drivers
Max Verstappen remains Red Bull’s guiding light. Even in a difficult year, the Dutchman has shown why he is a four-time world champion, delivering extraordinary performances. The pole in Suzuka, described by Horner as “one of the best laps ever,” along with victories in Japan and Imola, were the highlights of a season also marked by frustration and penalties.
As in the finale of the Spanish GP, a sign of a tension that rarely marked him during the years of dominance but, as often happens when he doesn’t have the best car, resurfaces strongly. Rumors of a move to Mercedes stirred the paddock, but Verstappen himself ended the saga, reaffirming his loyalty to the team he has been with since 2016.
Yuki Tsunoda, finally joining the team after Lawson’s departure, has had a challenging adaptation. Often eliminated in Q1 and involved in significant incidents (such as the qualifying crash in Imola), the Japanese driver has struggled to find consistency. Yet, there is a glimmer of hope: first, points in Bahrain and a strong comeback in Imola, and more recently, the sense that he is gradually closing the gap to Verstappen.
He himself admitted that “the adaptation process is not easy,” but Red Bull, amid a full technical and managerial restructuring, might still place its trust in him. After all, if even a champion like Verstappen sometimes struggles, how much of it is Tsunoda’s fault and how much is the car’s?
Best race
The Suzuka weekend was the high point of 2025 for Red Bull. Verstappen secured a textbook pole and managed the race perfectly, taming the two McLarens. After the victory, Horner did not hesitate to call him “the best driver in the world right now.” For anyone still in doubt, the Japanese weekend proved that even with an inferior car, the Dutchman’s talent can still make a difference.
Worst race
The Barcelona race was a dark chapter in Milton Keynes’ season—an absolute nightmare. After losing a podium that seemed all but secure due to a mistake following the safety car, the Dutchman then had a reckless collision with Russell, crossing the line in fifth before being penalized and dropping to tenth. In that moment, the other side of a usually robotic champion was revealed—one who, when tempers flare, often loses his composure.
What to expect from the rest of the season
The management change, with Mekies replacing Horner, marks a generational shift for Red Bull. The priority is to stabilize the team and develop a car capable of at least challenging Ferrari and Mercedes for second place in the Constructors’ Championship.
Verstappen will continue to be the team’s main asset, but a more consistent car will be needed to allow him to perform at his best and defend third place in the championship. Tsunoda, for his part, will need to prove he deserves the seat by reducing mistakes and increasing his points finishes.
Photo: Oracle Red Bull Racing on X
