F1 | Red Bull RB21 gets new upgrade at Dutch GP, Paul Monaghan says development is far from over. Red Bull introduced a new front wing update on the RB21 at the Dutch Grand Prix..

Red Bull updates the RB21, Monaghan: “It’s still all open”

Paul Monaghan detailed the updates introduced by Red Bull for the Dutch Grand Prix weekend, offering insight into the second half of the season and the longer-term outlook towards 2026. Red Bull was one of the few teams to bring fresh components to Zandvoort, introducing a micro-aerodynamic change on the front wing. The new specification involves extending the chord of the second fixed element of the wing, a subtle but effective adjustment designed to generate more downforce.

Red Bull’s chief engineer, Paul Monaghan, spoke to the media, including GP-News.net, about the upgrade package introduced in the Netherlands. “It’s not a completely new wing, it’s literally just an extension of the flap. We’ve been having a few balance problems, so you just extend the chord. It’s nothing unusual, you stick it on the existing part and off you go. It’s not as dramatic as you might think. It’s very similar to what we did in Hungary, just pushed a little further this time because we had the opportunity to produce more components,” he explained.

Monaghan also discussed the second half of the season, hinting at the possibility of bringing further upgrades or focusing on set-up adjustments to unlock additional performance. “It depends on us, doesn’t it? Let’s see if they develop, and if we can put more parts on the car before the end of the year. It’s still all open. When you build your car’s database, it lasts you about 12 months or so, right? Then you think: maybe we could try this, or that, or something else. We can carry out investigations, whatever tool we choose to use, CFD or otherwise. So yes, we’re still discovering things here and there. We’re still finding ways to improve, to do things differently, to try new solutions. Yes, there’s still room for progress.”

A look ahead to 2026

Although the 2026 technical regulations will be completely different, some solutions and, above all, the technical knowledge, can still be transferred into next year’s cars. “It depends on the area you’re investigating. This one has a very specific geometry. It might not apply so well next year. But if we’re expanding our knowledge database and finding different ways of doing things, if we can bring them into next year, we’ve already learned them and taken them into account,” Paul Monaghan said.

“If we don’t look at it this year, we won’t have that knowledge. The evolutions can go in two directions: if they move you away from what you’ll need next year, you’ve still learned something and you’ve still progressed.”

The Dutch Grand Prix itself ended with positive results for Red Bull, as Max Verstappen secured third place and Yuki Tsunoda also scored valuable points. The RB21 looked stronger than in recent rounds, suffering less than in previous races, although McLaren continues to remain out of reach at the top.