The Milton Keynes-based Red Bull Racing team continues the relentless development of its RB21 Formula 1 car. After introducing a revised floor and a low-drag rear wing at Silverstone, new updates have now been spotted at Spa-Francorchamps, including refinements to the aerodynamic flow around a front suspension arm and increased airflow for cooling the power unit.
Red Bull Racing finds itself at a critical turning point. As the reigning World Championship-winning team with Max Verstappen, it must prove to the Dutch driver that it has not lost direction in the development of the RB21. The goal is to revive a season that has so far fallen short of expectations. Red Bull is currently only fourth in the Constructors’ Championship, largely due to scoring points with just one car. Max Verstappen sits third in the Drivers’ standings, trailing World Championship leader Oscar Piastri by 69 points and Lando Norris by 61.
These significant gaps, now past the halfway point of the 2025 season, appear increasingly difficult to recover—especially given McLaren’s current technical superiority, which seems unshakable. Yet, following the unexpected dismissal of Christian Horner from his leadership role, Helmut Marko made it clear that Red Bull will not give up until the mathematics definitively rule out Max Verstappen’s title hopes.
As a result, the Red Bull RB21 that appears at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit is one with an aggressive approach, determined to fight back. Max Verstappen managed to secure a stunning pole position at Silverstone thanks to a very low-drag rear wing—an inspired choice that, however, did not deliver the expected results in the rain-affected race.
In Belgium, the technical department led by Pierre Waché aims to return to competitive form. Alongside reusing the Silverstone package—which includes the modified floor and the almost flat rear wing—Red Bull has introduced several new refinements. These detailed interventions demonstrate that the team is actively developing the RB21 in the area of airflow and aerodynamic management.
One of the visible modifications concerns the design of the cover for the rear arm of the front suspension. Following a concept already adopted by other top teams, Red Bull has now transformed the arm—near the chassis—into a prominent wing-shaped profile. This not only helps generate localized downforce but also redirects airflow towards the central body of the car in a more efficient manner.
This aerodynamic adjustment complements the recent revision of the front wing. The first two elements have been reshaped to improve downforce generation on high-speed tracks like Spa and to enhance overall car balance.
Changes have also been made to the air intakes used for cooling the Honda power unit. Both the horizontal and vertical inlets have been slightly enlarged. The vertical intake is now more linear in design. These updates aim to manage the rising temperatures during the warmer summer races without the need to open excessively large outlets on the engine cover or the rear bodywork—modifications that would otherwise harm aerodynamic efficiency.
It is worth recalling that each of the two air inlets serves a distinct purpose: the horizontal duct channels cool air to the water and oil radiators, while the vertical inlet feeds the prominent heat exchanger of the turbo system.
Additionally, Red Bull has revised the shape of the flow diverter that first appeared at Imola. It now features a more rounded form and defines the undercut area at the base of the sidepod inlets, optimizing airflow management in this crucial aerodynamic zone.
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