Helmut Marko reveals Red Bull’s 2025 F1 challenger “still has weaknesses”

Helmut Marko has revealed that the 2025 Red Bull challenger has weaknesses the Austrian team will need to continue working on throughout the season. The team failed to defend their Constructors' title in 2024 and finished third in the standings.

During an interview with Auto Motor Und Sport, Helmut Marko was asked about his verdict on how good the RB21 challenger will be during the 2025 season. He mentioned that the car is more predictable than last year, but it still has weaknesses which could potentially stop it from competing on a similar level to McLaren.

Motorsport journalist Junaid Samodien shared Marko's response via his X account:

"Marko: But it still has weaknesses that we need to work on throughout the season. There is noticeable progress, but not to the extent that we are on the same level as McLaren."

Dr. Helmut Marko has been an advisor for Red Bull GmbH ever since the Austrian side made their first entry into F1 as a constructor in 2005. The 81-year-old also heads the Red Bull driver development program.

Most notably, Marko has been responsible for nurturing and bringing forward two four-time world champions in Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen, both of whom have come through the Red Bull junior team. The Austrian's achievements have earned him a place as one of the most respected voices within the Red Bull setup.

Red Bull head into the 2025 season looking to regain the ground they have lost to the likes of McLaren and Ferrari in the constructors' battle during last season. Max Verstappen will be eyeing up a historic fifth Drivers' title on the bounce as he is joined by Liam Lawson as his new teammate for the upcoming season.

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Helmut Marko shares his verdict on new RB driver Isack Hadjar

Helmut Marko and Isack Hadjar before the 2024 Qatar Grand Prix Qualifying - Source: Getty

Helmut Marko has explained that he feels Isack Hadjar is 'clearly' a fast driver but is less experienced than the other rookies making their full-season debuts in 2025. He also claimed that Hadjar was 'clearly the fastest man in F2' last year, even though the French-Algerian driver finished runner up to Gabriel Bortoleto.

In the same interview with Auto Motor Und Sport, Marko explained that according to their team, Hadjar was the fastest man in F2 last year, but he has a lack of experience in an F1 car when compared to the likes of Jack Doohan, Oliver Bearman and Kimi Antonelli.

"Clearly, he is a fast man. But he has driven very little in Formula 1 cars. No comparison to Doohan, Bearman, or Antonelli. They have certainly spent ten times as much time in a Formula 1 car as Hadjar. That's why there's a change in thinking happening with us." [via Junaid Samodien on X, formerly Twitter]

Isack Hadjar was just half a point behind Gabriel Bortoleto heading into the final race of the 2024 F2 season, but the French-Algerian driver unfortunately stalled on grid at the start of the feature race and had to join the race two laps down. This cost him the chance to potentially win the championship.

Hadjar and Bortoleto are now both in F1 for the 2025 season. Hadjar will be racing for the Red Bull sister team, Racing Bulls, whereas Bortoleto will be driving for the Kick Sauber F1 team.