Red Bull started the 2025 Formula 1 season on the back foot, but managed to recover and take home lessons that could make a real difference in 2026.
The 2025 campaign did not bring the world championship back to Milton Keynes, yet for Red Bull it still represents a key turning point. After several difficult months, the team rediscovered competitiveness in the second half of the year, allowing Max Verstappen to finish the championship just two points off the top and with renewed confidence heading into 2026.
The downward trajectory Red Bull experienced during the second half of 2024 continued into the opening phase of 2025. This was the case despite victories at Suzuka and Imola, to the point where Max Verstappen had said he would not win again for the rest of the season.
The decision not to “turn the page”
The real change of direction only came after the summer break. It was the result of a clear strategic choice: to continue working on the 2025 project for longer than most rivals, even if that meant diverting resources away from the development of the 2026 car.
Team principal Laurent Mekies explained why, in Red Bull’s view, there were no credible alternatives. “For us it became quite obvious that we didn’t want to simply turn the page and cultivate the illusion that, even if the 2025 car wasn’t up to the task, we would still be able to fight in 2026.”
“We wanted to go all the way with the 2025 project. We needed to understand why it wasn’t working, because fundamentally we will be using the same tools, the same processes and the same methodologies next year as well,” he said.
Lessons that still matter under new regulations
Despite the major technical overhaul planned for 2026, Laurent Mekies is convinced that many of the lessons learned during 2025 will remain valid, especially from a methodological standpoint. “There is a lot to learn. First of all about methodologies: what it takes to make the car faster and how you work within the imposed limits.”
According to the team principal, the knowledge gained goes far beyond a single project. “Then there is the whole topic of tyres, the correlation between tools, understanding where it is right to look for performance. The common areas are huge, even with completely different regulations.”
The 2025 turnaround also had significant psychological effects, particularly within the technical department led by Pierre Wache, which had come through a complex period that began in mid-2024. “This journey has certainly brought the group even closer together,” Laurent Mekies underlined. “It gives us the right approach, the right atmosphere and the correct energy for next year.”
“Seeing the car’s performance at the end of a season like this is a huge incentive. It builds confidence in the methodologies, the tools and the KPIs we use. We believe this has been the most important aspect of this year,” he concluded.
After these comments from Laurent Mekies, it is no surprise that Red Bull, together with Mercedes, is among the most talked-about teams at the moment for having exploited a regulatory grey area that could allow them to start the 2026 season with an engine advantage.
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