Red Bull Racing is currently experiencing a fluctuating performance trend in the 2025 Formula 1 season. Last week, Max Verstappen secured a victory in the Sprint Race, demonstrating the team’s potential, but during the main race, Red Bull struggled to assert the dominance they aimed for. This event marked the first race weekend under the new leadership of Peter Mekies as Team Principal. Overall, the weekend was not disastrous, but Max Verstappen’s fourth-place finish behind Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari highlighted the team’s ongoing challenges. Just days later, the focus shifts to the Hungarian Grand Prix, a circuit that may not perfectly suit the RB21’s current characteristics.
What Red Bull brought to Spa and what to expect in Budapest
Over the last few rounds of the championship, Red Bull has introduced multiple updates to the RB21 chassis. As announced before the Belgian Grand Prix, the package of improvements—described by the team as “marginal” but nevertheless important—was divided between the Belgian and Hungarian races. Initially, these updates were planned for the Dutch and Italian Grands Prix but were brought forward to avoid falling behind key competitors. There remains a possibility that additional changes could be seen at Zandvoort.
Among the modifications, changes to the sidepod inlets slightly altered their perimeter. Within the undercut volume, the vertical fin was also redesigned. At the front of the car, the upper wishbone covers were revised: the first wishbone now features a much longer trailing edge designed to enhance the down-wash airflow in that section of the vehicle.
Conversely, the second wishbone has an opposite function. Its trailing edge is shaped to create a localized up-wash of the airflow. This area interacts with the floor of the car, which produces a strong suction effect that must be partially counteracted to ensure sufficient fluid flow over the upper surface of the floor. These changes, while individually “fairly marginal,” combine to increase overall aerodynamic efficiency rather than simply boosting downforce.
This package was paired with a new low-downforce rear wing used until the Sprint Race, after which the team reverted to a higher-downforce configuration featuring a larger frontal area. It remains uncertain what specific upgrades Red Bull will bring to Budapest. The main issue, as confirmed by Helmut Marko and now widely discussed, concerns the RB21’s balance, which remains unsatisfactory for Max Verstappen.
Hungarian GP, RB21: challenging balance with a weak front end
The variables at play in Hungary will differ greatly from those in Belgium. The Hungaroring features a higher number of low- and medium-speed corners, as well as several faster bends. The preferred setup generally calls for a high aerodynamic load, as the circuit demands substantial traction. The track is often considered “rear limited,” meaning that rear grip and traction play a crucial role.
Most teams aim to shift the car’s balance rearwards, but this strategy may cause difficulties for Red Bull. The Milton Keynes-based squad suffered from understeer issues last year at this very circuit, a problem that also persists on the RB21. In simple terms, shifting the balance toward the rear is not an easy task for this car. At lower speeds, this problem is less pronounced.
The issue primarily arises in medium-speed corners where aerodynamic forces have a greater influence. Red Bull will likely aim for a setup that sacrifices some ideal aerodynamic balance in order to generate more rotation at the front end. A comparable track layout is Monaco, where the team struggled to find an effective compromise with the setup. Similarly, at Bahrain—another circuit where rearward balance is necessary—the team’s performance was not optimal.
Red Bull hopes for better tire management
It is worth noting that the RB21’s operating window has expanded, marking a step forward for the team. Regarding tire performance, Red Bull could have an advantage at Budapest. The challenge is to keep tire temperatures under control, even during a single lap. The temperature variations through each corner are significant and must be managed carefully.
The key challenge lies in controlling the surface temperatures, especially at the rear, which tends to overheat due to excessive sliding. Red Bull believes it has an edge over Ferrari in this area, as evidenced by Charles Leclerc’s flawless tire management during last Sunday’s race. Ultimately, the RB21’s performance in Hungary will depend heavily on managing the delicate balance between aerodynamic setup and tire temperature control—two critical factors that engineers will scrutinize closely ahead of the race weekend.
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