Has Red Bull been hiding? A question that arises in F1 for all teams. Logically, one would say no. This is because the issues faced during various runs have been quite clear. Max Verstappen has lost his temper on several occasions, and his team radios have been anything but friendly. He himself doesn’t consider himself among the favorites. On the contrary, he excludes himself from the battle. Helmut Marko and Christian Horner think differently, convinced that the Dutch talent will once again make the difference, regardless of the performance level of the RB21.
Melbourne is a tricky track
The Albert Park circuit, host of the Australian Grand Prix, is a semi-street track characterized by often poorly rubbered asphalt in the early sessions of the weekend, leading to graining on the tires, especially on the front axle. Turn 1 features medium-to-low-speed corners followed by sharp braking zones, where exit traction is crucial. The second sector is more fluid, with medium-to-fast corners where aerodynamic stability plays a key role.
The third and final sector is the most technical, with tight 90° corners that require precise front-end grip and stable rear-end behavior during acceleration. The bumps and undulations typical of street tracks like the Australian one make handling and ground clearance management critical. This is a factor that all teams must consider to perform at their best throughout the weekend. It will therefore be crucial to fully understand their car to tailor the setup to the track’s needs.
Red Bull on “curb riding” test
Red Bull shares a sensitivity to track bumps with McLaren. The RB21 concept features a very stable aerodynamic platform, thanks to a wider range of suspension stiffness compared to the competition, allowing the car’s ride height to remain more consistent. However, the car struggles with suspension shake when encountering significant dips.
This is undoubtedly an important test, as adapting to this aspect will be key. The Milton Keynes team has worked hard in the last two years to expand the available stiffness range. Past Austrian cars have performed well on this track, even though last season Ferrari’s performance was equivalent. A first sign that the dominance was about to end.
The challenging interpretation of drag
Aerodynamic efficiency will be another decisive aspect of the F1 weekend. The Red Bull RB21 is one of the most efficient cars in the field, with the highest delta in speed between open and closed DRS last year. However, in the last races of 2024, the car showed some difficulty in generating high top speeds, an issue connected to a broader conversation about the regulations regarding wing flexibility.
The updates issue remains a concern
The handling of the RB21 is better than in the previous racing season. We’re talking about a car that is more predictable and stable, partly solving the biggest issue that plagued the car from mid-2024: the disconnection between the two axles. The RB20 had a very delicate and hard-to-identify balance, while the new car seems to have made progress in terms of consistency.
However, it’s important to highlight how the performance of the blue racing-colored F1 car appeared to be very dependent on track conditions, raising some questions about its actual potential. Another area of uncertainty concerns the developments Red Bull brought during the pre-season tests. The updates, originally scheduled for Melbourne but brought forward to the last day of testing, did not provide the expected results.
The new floor generated an imbalance in the car that led to excessive understeer, compromising the car’s overall behavior. It will be interesting to see if the hard work done in the weeks following the tests can resolve this issue ahead of the first race weekend, which promises to be exciting. However, it’s likely that further refinement of the aerodynamic package will be necessary.
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