Just days before the start of the 2025 Formula 1 season, Max Verstappen revealed that his Red Bull RB21 is not yet capable of fighting for victory at the Australian Grand Prix and that McLaren is the top contender. After an unremarkable pre-season, the reigning world champion acknowledges his car’s lag behind the competition.
Max Verstappen dominated the last two season openers in Bahrain and secured pole position in Melbourne last year before retiring due to brake issues. However, this time he arrives in Australia at the Albert Park circuit following difficult pre-season testing session for Red Bull.
Red Bull struggles after pre-season testing
During the three days of testing in Bahrain, the RB21 appeared less competitive compared to McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes, with even Williams showing improvement and putting pressure on the Milton Keynes team.
Speaking at a Viaplay event, Max Verstappen voiced his concerns: “There is work to be done. Looking at the lap times, I think McLaren is the favorite, and for us, not everything has gone completely smoothly.”
Verstappen: “We cannot fight for victory in Melbourne“
The three-time world champion admitted that Red Bull will not be able to aim for the top step of the podium in Australia: “I don’t think we will be able to compete for victory in Melbourne, but I hope we can make improvements within a few races.” Verstappen added that the team is already working to address the issues encountered in testing.
“We have some ideas on how to improve the car. I also spent a lot of time in the simulator, for example, yesterday with the team.” – he pointed out.
Analyzing the development of the new car, Max Verstappen admitted that the team expected greater progress over the winter: “It’s never good enough, obviously, but I think we expected a little more from this car.”
Despite the gap to direct rivals, the Dutch driver reiterated his confidence in Red Bull’s development work: “After testing, you have time to analyze the data and reach certain conclusions. But, as I said, we need to improve some things.” – the four-time Formula 1 world champion continued.
With the championship set to begin in Melbourne from March 14-16, Red Bull faces the challenge of recovering the lost ground to McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes. Will the Milton Keynes team be able to turn the situation around in the coming races, or will 2025 mark the end of Max Verstappen’s dominance?
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