After pre-season testing in Bahrain concluded last week, many predicted a difficult season for the once-dominant Red Bull. 12 months ago, they were the clear favorites, but their development struggles — particularly balance issues — caused them to slip down the pecking order. Those problems now seem poised to persist in 2025.
The RB21 appeared difficult to handle in Bahrain, which is concerning for Max Verstappen as it puts him on the back foot in his pursuit of a fifth consecutive world title. Even before the season began, Verstappen acknowledged that Red Bull had to improve significantly. “If we continue like this, I will not be champion next year. It’s that simple,” he said.
Per Christian Horner, the car did not look “glued to the track,” and technical director Pierre Wache was not happy with how little progress they made, despite calling it a step in the right direction.
Regardless, Martin Brundle is still backing Verstappen as the favorite to retain his crown. The Red Bull driver may not have the fastest car, but his championship-winning experience will be crucial in handling any threat from potential challengers, per Brundle.
“For me, Max starts the season as the favorite. Because he will be the clear number one in that team, and Red Bull should have fixed it. He’s so fast, he’s so good, he knows how to win multiple world championships…” the former F1 driver said in a Sky Sports segment.
Helmut Marko told us after Day 1 that the Red Bull RB21 was “reacting to changes in the normal way.”
Looks like it didn’t stay that way… pic.twitter.com/w38PdjPZKD
— PlanetF1 (@Planet_F1) February 28, 2025
Brundle added that Lando Norris — the popular favorite to win the Drivers’ Championship — may struggle to defeat Verstappen due to his lack of experience in title-winning situations. He included Charles Leclerc, George Russell, and Oscar Piastri in the same category.
The Briton’s bold claim about Norris stemmed from the latter’s struggles last season, where multiple mistakes made Verstappen’s path to victory easier. Brundle doesn’t seem to believe that a three-month reset will be enough for Norris to make significant improvements in that regard.
Who can dethrone Verstappen in 2025?
McLaren entered Bahrain testing as the team to watch and lived up to expectations. Arguably the fastest over the three days, the Woking-based outfit is once again in the hunt for the title, with Norris and Piastri also eyeing the Drivers’ crown.
For Norris in particular, this season could be one of redemption. Toward the end of 2024, he showed signs of growth, making fewer mistakes as the season progressed. Experts like Nico Rosberg and Laura Winter even picked him as their favorite to finish P1 in 2025.
However, McLaren isn’t the only team expected to win races. Ferrari is also in the fight, and with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc leading the charge, keeping them at bay will be a challenge for any title contender.
There is some uncertainty around Hamilton adapting to Ferrari’s car concept and how competitive the team will be. But if the SF-25 proves strong, Hamilton will be well-positioned to reignite his rivalry with Verstappen that captivated audiences in 2021.
Meanwhile, Leclerc and Piastri have flown under the radar this pre-season. While they haven’t dominated headlines, both could emerge as title contenders, looking to break Verstappen’s dominance.
