Whispers of concern in the paddock after preseason testing as Red Bull insider reveals gap to McLaren – There is no sense of panic within Red Bull Racing following the conclusion of pre-season testing in Bahrain, but the team are not without their concerns. While the RB21 was expected to be a dominant force once again, insiders suggest that the gap to McLaren may be greater than anticipated.
The question on everyone’s mind ahead of the 2025 season is just how competitive the RB21 really is. Red Bull and their rivals alike are taking a close look at the situation and early indications are that Max Verstappen’s quest for a fifth consecutive world title may not be as straightforward as it has been in previous years. According to those within the paddock, McLaren have emerged as a serious challenger, possibly even the team to beat.
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Red Bull’s internal assessments suggest a deficit
Following three days of testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, Red Bull has reportedly reached an unsettling conclusion – the RB21 may not be the fastest car on the grid.
“Everyone in the paddock agrees. I’ve spoken to some people at Red Bull and they say it’s very close to McLaren,” revealed motorsport.com insider Ronald Vording. “But they also say that McLaren seem to have a lead. They don’t know how big it is – it could be two tenths, it could be five tenths – but they [McLaren] are the team to beat.
That assessment is backed up by Auto, Motor und Sport, which reports that Red Bull’s internal estimate is that they are three to four tenths a lap behind McLaren. If true, it would be the first time in several years that Red Bull would start a season opener without being considered the clear favourites.
A potential setback for Verstappen’s title defence?
If the test predictions for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix hold true, Red Bull could be facing an uphill battle from the outset. While three or four tenths of a second may not seem insurmountable over a race distance, F1 history has shown that even small gaps can prove decisive – especially when a rival team demonstrates strong development capabilities.
McLaren has already shown in the past year that they are more than capable of refining their car throughout the season. In 2023, the team turned a slow start into a competitive force by mid-season, and their rapid development has continued into 2024. With a highly capable driver pairing in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, the Woking-based squad appears well-positioned to capitalise on any Red Bull weaknesses.
For Verstappen, any early-season disadvantage could complicate his ambitions to extend his dominance of the sport. While Red Bull have proven themselves to be a powerhouse in recent years, the challenge from McLaren looks more credible than any they have faced in recent times.
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Rivals admit McLaren ahead
Italian journalist Leo Turrini offered a candid view on his blog: “I’ll be honest, friends. The new Ferrari has not lived up to expectations. (Charles) Leclerc said it explicitly. (Lewis) Hamilton was more cautious, but he was not beaming with enthusiasm either. McLaren are ahead at the moment. (Max) Verstappen maybe too.”
Mercedes’ George Russell set the fastest lap on the final day, but team principal Toto Wolff played down expectations, telling Bild: “We are not the favourites.” After early optimism, Red Bull’s Pierre Wache admitted to Canal Plus: “The test did not go as smoothly as we expected.
On McLaren, he noted: “I find the McLaren very interesting, for example the front suspension. But we also think it is very risky. It will be exciting to see if they can do it.”
Wache sees a tight field: “I’m not as happy as I could be because the car didn’t react the way we wanted it to at times, but it’s going in the right direction. Just maybe not as much as we expected. Sky Germany’s Ralf Schumacher doubled down: “I think McLaren will be in front. Ferrari are a bit lacking, but they will manage. Mercedes just lack the pace.
Williams’ Carlos Sainz topped the test, while Alpine impressed Flavio Briatore: “The drivers are not complaining about understeering or oversteering. And when they have nothing to complain about, it’s a good sign. McLaren’s Andrea Stella sees six teams in the hunt in Melbourne – and takes a swipe at Fernando Alonso: “That’s what everyone says when they think they’re ahead.”
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The uncertainty heading into Melbourne
Despite the worrying whispers in the paddock, the true pecking order will not be known until the lights go out in Melbourne. Test times can be deceptive, with teams often holding back or experimenting with different fuel loads and set-ups. Furthermore, the time between testing and the first race often allows teams to further refine their cars, potentially eliminating or exacerbating any gaps seen in Bahrain.
One thing is for sure, though – Red Bull are going into the season under far more scrutiny than they have been in recent years. Unlike previous campaigns where they started as overwhelming favourites, this time they could be the ones playing catch-up. And with McLaren showing signs of becoming a legitimate contender, the 2025 season could be far more competitive than many expected.
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2024 was a year in Formula One where the referees of the sport took a higher profile than usual. Of course this was eclipsed by the last lap of the last race drama in 2021 but in general paddock talk of how the various decisions were being made made last year was a frequent.
A number of incidents between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, where both were punished on different occasions, exposed the secretive ‘F1 driver guide lines’ issued to the stewards each year by the FIA.
Max clearly understood the rule which defined who ‘owned’ the corner as was evident in Austin, Texas. There despite having been passed by Norris, his late dash for the apex of the corner in fact earned him the right to run the McLaren driver off the circuit.
There was much talk from the drivers that they needed a closer collaboration with the FIA on how these matters were judged, but as yet there appears to be no official comment on whether any aspects of the guidelines has changed.
What has changed is Mohammed Be Sulayem has been riding his hobby horse and the punishments for F1 drivers swearing has been upped. The first time a driver is sanctioned for bad language by the stewards he will receive a €40,000 fine which will be doubled for the second time. Should this happen on a third occasion during the season the fine will increase to €120,000 and the driver will receive a whopping…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
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Red Bull are not the reigning champions
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