Formula 1 2021 team preview: Red Bull

The 2021 Formula 1 season could be the best time for Red Bull to challenge for the championship. The team won the final race of the 2020 season and had the fastest car in the pre-season test.

Can Red Bull finally take the fight to Mercedes this season? Will Max Verstappen overthrow Lewis Hamilton as the best driver on the grid?

Team: Red Bull

Strengths

Red Bull's strength lies in their aerodynamic prowess. The team has produced some of the most efficient aero parts on the grid since 2009. The high rake concept favored by Adrian Newey has paid dividends at low-speed tracks such as Monaco and Singapore.

The team also boasts one of the best driver lineups in the sport. Max Verstappen is the undoubted leader of the team, and Sergio Perez is one of the most experienced drivers on the grid.

The team's Honda power unit has also seen improvement in recent years. The Japanese manufacturer's power unit was infamously called a "GP2 engine" by Fernando Alonso in 2015. Since then, Honda has taken considerable steps towards delivering a race-winning engine.

Weaknesses

Even considering Honda's recent improvements, Red Bull's biggest weakness since 2014 has been its power unit. Reliability concerns have plagued the team, even after they switched from Renault to Honda in 2019. The power unit also falls short of horsepower when compared to the Mercedes engine.

Unfortunately for Red Bull, Honda decided to stop their Formula 1 operations from 2022 onwards. This means that the power unit will be developed in-house at their Milton Keynes factory. Red Bull lacks the necessary research and knowledge to build or improve a competitive Formula 1 engine.

Drivers

Max Verstappen

This could be Max Verstappen's opportunity to challenge for the title. Photo: Hamad Mohammed/Getty Images.

Since his debut in the sport, Max Verstappen has never had a better opportunity to compete for the championship. The young Dutchman is a prolific driver. Experts consider him to be the fastest driver on the grid, and his recent maturity has allowed him to consistently deliver points for the team.

If results from the pre-season test are to be taken seriously, this could be the year Max Verstappen ends the cycle of Mercedes' domination.

Sergio Perez

This has to be Perez's most crucial season in Formula 1. Photo: Mark Thompson/Getty Images.

Sergio Perez enters the most crucial season of his Formula 1 career. Partnering Max Verstappen is never easy. The Dutchman has destroyed his last two teammates, Gasly and Albon.

However, for the first time in Perez's career, he has a car capable of challenging for the championship. The experienced Mexican will look to take advantage of this, even with arguably the fastest driver on the grid next to him.

Pre-season Test Form Guide

I enjoy trying to guesstimate a pecking order after testing. Very tricky to do this time with track conditions changing so much between day & night but here we go :Red BullMercedesAlphaTauri / MclarenAlpineFerrari / Aston Martin Alfa RomeoWilliamsHaasJust a guess! 🤷🏽‍♂️🤷🏽‍♂️

— Karun Chandhok (@karunchandhok) March 15, 2021

Max Verstappen hailed the pre-season test as the best he's ever had since joining Red Bull. A glance at the timesheets will explain why.

Red Bull were the most impressive car throughout the pre-season test. The car did not suffer from any reliability issues. The RB16B also looked stable and fast. Experts believe that Red Bull has the fastest and most reliable car on the grid. With Mercedes struggling with both reliability and handling issues, Red Bull could finally have a chance to compete for the championship.

Two more #F1Testing hot laps feat. @AlphaTauriF1 💪🔥 #PoweredByHondapic.twitter.com/k6YNgflzij

— Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) March 16, 2021

2021 Formula 1 season predictions

Red Bull's biggest challenge over recent seasons has been the team's inability to hit the ground running. Red Bull often start much slower than Mercedes, and slowly build into the season. Mercedes usually clinch the championship before Red Bull can start fighting for wins consistently.

This time, however, Red Bull starts the season with a faster car. Their ability to develop the car during the season is unmatched, and this could lead them to their first championship since 2013.