McLaren emerge as early favourites for 2025 F1 season as Max Verstappen casts doubt on Red Bull’s chances after difficult pre-season tests – As Formula One teams prepare for the eagerly anticipated start of the 2025 season, reigning world champion Max Verstappen has delivered a surprisingly cautious message about his team’s competitiveness. After an underwhelming series of pre-season tests in Bahrain, Verstappen openly admits that Red Bull Racing currently lags behind its rivals, particularly a resurgent McLaren, who he describes as the clear frontrunners.
In a candid interview with Viaplay, Verstappen, who won the title in a hard-fought 2024 campaign, acknowledged the significant challenges facing his team. When asked about the prospect of multiple teams challenging for the title this year, Verstappen made a striking admission: “At the moment there is only one team and it is orange.”
That blunt assessment underlines not only Verstappen’s concerns, but also the marked rise of McLaren, whose orange cars have been consistently impressive in testing. The Woking outfit appear to have made significant strides in the off-season, positioning themselves as the team to beat in the early races.
Pre-season testing: McLaren ahead, Red Bull struggling
Pre-season testing in Bahrain has provided a first glimpse of each team’s strengths and weaknesses, and according to Verstappen, McLaren have emerged as the team to beat. The defending champion openly admitted that McLaren are “clearly ahead” at the moment, with Red Bull and the other teams playing catch-up from the outset.
While Verstappen’s comments could be interpreted as an early psychological tactic aimed at managing expectations, there is no doubt that Red Bull have experienced real struggles.
The RB21, Red Bull’s latest contender, has not delivered the immediate improvement in performance the team had hoped for. Known for his straightforward nature, Verstappen did not sugar-coat the situation, stating bluntly: “On our side, things haven’t gone completely smoothly, but on the other hand, we have some ideas on how we can improve.
Despite these difficulties, Verstappen was careful not to write off the entire season prematurely, remaining cautiously optimistic. “I don’t think we can fight for victory in Melbourne,” he admitted, “but I hope we can improve in the first few races.”
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Melbourne: A race of uncertainty for Red Bull
Traditionally the season opener, the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne often sets the tone for the year ahead. This year, it looks like it will be a crucial test of Verstappen’s pessimism and Red Bull’s ability to recover quickly from a shaky start.
The Dutchman’s sober outlook suggests a measured and realistic assessment of Red Bull’s situation rather than mere posturing. “Maybe we expected a bit more in Bahrain,” he reflected, adding, “although after the test you have more time to go through all the data. On that basis you come to certain conclusions.
This careful analysis is typical of Verstappen, who often emphasises the importance of precision and incremental improvement. Melbourne could either prove him right or give Red Bull a much-needed confidence boost.
Whatever the outcome, the first weekend of racing will be revealing.
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Big problems with the RB21 2025 F1 car
Ongoing issues with kerbs and bumps
Verstappen’s concerns about the RB21 go deeper than mere pace or relative performance against McLaren. They relate to fundamental handling issues that have persisted from last season, despite the introduction of Red Bull’s extensively redesigned challenger.
“The new car feels better than its predecessor at the entrance and in the middle of the corner,” Verstappen acknowledged, highlighting some positive developments.
However, he was quick to emphasise lingering concerns: “On the other hand, there are still problems with the kerbs and bumps.”
These comments suggest that Red Bull’s chronic handling issues, which plagued the RB20 last year, have not been fully resolved. Verstappen complained extensively during the 2024 season that the RB20 was particularly sensitive and unpredictable when negotiating kerbs and bumpy sections of the track, which severely hampered overall performance.
While the RB21 shows some incremental improvements in overall handling balance, Verstappen’s comments highlight the fact that Red Bull is still struggling in key areas. This weakness could become a critical disadvantage, particularly on street circuits or tracks where aggressive cornering is a necessity.
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Understeer continues to plague Red Bull
Beyond the issues with bumps and kerbs, Verstappen was open about another area of concern with the RB21: understeer. Understeer, the condition where a car fails to turn as sharply as expected, has historically frustrated Verstappen’s aggressive driving style.
“That could be better,” Verstappen quipped about the RB21’s handling dynamics, admitting that even though improvements had been made, the car was still far from ideal.
He joked that the car is “never good enough” for the driver, emphasizing the perennial quest for improvement inherent in Formula 1.
The persistent understeer is particularly worrying because it affects performance in both qualifying and the race, especially on tracks that require precise and rapid changes of direction. Verstappen’s openness about these challenges signals both a driver keenly aware of the car’s limitations and a team diligently working behind the scenes to correct them.
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Can Red Bull bounce back early in 2025?
The key question ahead of the 2025 season opener is whether Red Bull can quickly close the performance gap with McLaren. Early-season developments and upgrades will determine whether Verstappen and Red Bull can mount a credible challenge for a third consecutive title, or whether they will have to settle for a season largely spent chasing their rivals.
Verstappen’s cautious outlook, while alarming to Red Bull fans, could also be a calculated strategy to ease the pressure on a team that has consistently delivered under intense expectations. Nevertheless, McLaren’s resurgence is real, and Red Bull’s margin for error is significantly smaller this season.
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The bottom line: Verstappen sets realistic expectations
Max Verstappen’s frank assessment of Red Bull’s chances and open acknowledgement of McLaren’s strength is a clear indication of how competitive the 2025 F1 season could be.
While fans and analysts alike often expect champions to exude unwavering confidence, Verstappen’s honesty illustrates both his pragmatism and respect for the fierce competition that defines modern Formula One.
As the circus prepares to descend on Melbourne, Verstappen’s comments are a timely reminder that in F1, dominance can be fleeting and maintaining supremacy requires constant evolution. Melbourne could confirm Verstappen’s fears, or it could be the springboard Red Bull needs to regain the initiative from their formidable rivals.
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With just a week before the Formula One cars hit the track in anger in Melbourne, Netflix has dropped its latest Drive to Survive series. Now in its seventh season, the fly on the wall documentary has become a staple for many F1 fans as the clock ticks down for race one of the year.
With the off track shenanigans from early last season making F1 headlines, the streaming services offering from the 2024 season has plenty of content from which to choose.
The opening episode is entitled “business as usual” and deals with the off track row over allegations made against Red Bull boss Christian Horner. Although he was completely exonerated by two external investigations, the footage made for good TV while the story was breaking…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
Daddies boy getting rattled.!!!