Red Bull Racing faced a turning point during the middle part of the 2024 season. The RB20, which had started the season with the same level of dominance as the RB19, started to struggle on certain tracks.
A striking weakness soon became apparent — the car struggled on bumpy circuits and tracks that required heavy kerb riding. This Achilles’ heel put an end to their dominance and opened the door for McLaren to challenge for the title.
However, team advisor Helmut Marko has now offered fans a reason to hope for a strong comeback. Speaking recently, Marko revealed that the team has made significant progress with their 2025 car, addressing the issues that plagued the RB20.
️ | Christian Horner: “Track and simulation data in Monza were miles off, highlighting RB20’s front and rear axles disconnection.”
“We’ve seen some aerodynamic issues that when you really peel the layers of the onion, they actually go back to 2023.
Max, due to his uncanny… pic.twitter.com/C7rn5DImlQ
— RBR News (@redbulletin) September 30, 2024
According to the Austrian, the 2025 car has already undergone testing in the wind tunnel, and the results are encouraging. Red Bull believes that the car will now handle kerbs and bumpy tracks more effectively.
In a recent exclusive interview with Sport.de, Marko said, “Driving over the kerbs was one of our weak points. In the wind tunnel, those problems seem to have been solved, but we will see during the test in Bahrain.”
This development could be a massive boost for Max Verstappen, who has been vocal about the team’s need to step up their game. He even warned that Red Bull wouldn’t stand a chance in 2025 if the car’s weaknesses weren’t fixed.
Red Bull under pressure to reclaim its dominance in 2025
While a stiff ride was a major issue with the RB20, it wasn’t the only challenge Red Bull engineers had to address for 2025. Marko also highlighted the need for the car to perform well across a variety of track conditions.
“The biggest challenge for the engineers is to build a car that has a wider operating window… We also have to be strong on all circuits,” the 81-year-old added. As the 2024 season progressed, the Bulls had a roller coaster-like swing in performance from track to track.
Heading into 2025, they cannot have such dips in pace, as they won’t have the points advantage they built in the initial rounds of this season.
Next season will be especially important for Red Bull, as it marks their first season without Adrian Newey, the aero genius who played a key role in their success. The Milton Keynes-based team’s ability to adapt and thrive without Newey will be a major test.
At the same time, McLaren has emerged as a serious competitor, with the team being widely expected to have the outright best package in 2025. So, there is a high possibility that Red Bull may not be the favorite for the championship until the second half of the season.
