After the Brazilian Grand Prix, Andrea Stella raised concerns about the new power unit fitted to Max Verstappen’s Red Bull RB21. Now, the team from Milton Keynes has provided an official response. In the fight for the Formula 1 World Championship, every single detail can make a difference — and every adjustment to a car can influence the outcome of an entire season. In Brazil, Red Bull opted to change the setup of Verstappen’s car and, at the same time, decided to replace the engine.
What could have been the race that ended his championship hopes turned instead into another masterclass from the Dutch driver. Despite a weekend full of struggles and a series of setup choices that initially proved disastrous, Verstappen once again managed to turn things around at Interlagos. On Saturday, he was even eliminated in Q1, forced to start deep in the grid and far from Lando Norris, the polesitter and current championship leader.
But the race on Sunday told a very different story. With a fresh setup and a brand-new power unit, the RB21 of the four-time world champion suddenly came alive. From the opening laps, Verstappen’s pace was striking, and even an early puncture could not stop his charge through the field. The Dutchman eventually crossed the finish line in third place, just behind a sensational Andrea Kimi Antonelli and an unstoppable Lando Norris.
Andrea Stella’s doubts and Red Bull’s clarification
As always in Formula 1, the smallest details matter — and Andrea Stella quickly highlighted the engine change as a potential area of concern. The issue he raised revolved around the budget cap regulations. The principle is clear: if an engine replacement is deemed performance-related, the costs must be accounted for within the team’s spending limit. At the end of the season, every team is typically very close to the maximum budget allowed by the FIA, and every technical upgrade or component swap must be carefully managed to stay compliant.
According to information obtained by Ludo van Denderen of GPBlog.com, the costs of the new power unit used by Max Verstappen will indeed be included in Red Bull’s budget cap. This clarification confirms that the team did not attempt to bypass the financial regulations but made a strategic decision to introduce the engine within the existing limits.
This means that the team from Milton Keynes still has a small amount of financial flexibility left to invest in further developments for the 2025 season. While Verstappen’s chances of reclaiming the championship crown may appear slim at this stage, Red Bull’s commitment to maximizing performance remains evident. The new power unit, combined with the setup changes seen in Brazil, demonstrates that the reigning champions are determined to fight until the very end — both on track and in the technical department.
For Andrea Stella and the McLaren camp, the episode serves as another reminder of how critical the budget cap has become in shaping Formula 1 strategy. Even a seemingly simple engine change can spark controversy and raise questions about compliance, performance, and long-term planning. As teams push the boundaries of innovation, the FIA’s oversight on spending and technical modifications continues to be a decisive factor in maintaining fairness across the grid.
With just a few races remaining in the 2025 season, the debate surrounding Red Bull’s approach has only added another layer of intrigue to an already intense championship battle. And while Andrea Stella’s suspicions have now been addressed, the tension between McLaren and Red Bull — both on and off the track — shows no sign of slowing down.
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