'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Max Verstappen conceded that Red Bull would not have the fastest car as the team heads to Australia for the first race of the season. The team is coming into the 2025 F1 season on the back of a somewhat enigmatic 2024 season. The season began with the Dutch driver dominating in the first few races.
The car had carried on with the kind of advantage it already had in 2023. The advantage was however abruptly cut short when McLaren introduced its first set of upgrades in Miami. From that race onward, Red Bull started regressing while the rivals progressed.
Max Verstappen put together a valiant effort, however, and was able to fend off Lando Norris' advances in the championship. Red Bull, on the other hand, ended the season third in the championship as McLaren clinched the title from Ferrari.
Trending
Heading into the 2025 F1 season, Red Bull was effectively developing the car from a deficit, and hence it was always going to be hard for the team to usurp McLaren and others in the pecking order. Talking to the media, including Sportskeeda, Max Versatappen confirmed that the car would not be the fastest in Australia. He said,
“I think we had a decent day. We had a few little problems, but overall we completed quite a bit of what we tried to do. I think it was not bad, but at the same time there is still work to do.”
He added,
“It was what I kind of expected, we just keep on working and trying to improve. Hopefully we will be ready for Melbourne, learn a bit more, and see where we are at. I do not expect us to be the fastest at all, but at the same time, it is very difficult to tell where everyone’s pace is. There is some work to do for us.”
Max Verstappen's team senior personnel are not as happy with the performance
Red Bull technical director admitted that he was not too happy with how the car behaved during the F1 pre-season test. The team was one of the more proactive ones in bringing an upgraded nose to the F1 pre-season test on the last day of running.
Max Verstappen trialed it as well, but it's not entirely sure if it worked or not, as the driver was not entirely happy with it during the run. Talking to the media, Wache confirmed that the team was not entirely happy with how the car was responding. He said,
"I am not as happy as I could be because the car did not respond how we wanted at times, but it is going in the right direction, just maybe the magnitude of the direction was not as big as we expected and it’s something we need to work on for the first race and future development,”
Max Verstappen is heading into the 2025 F1 season on the back of 4 back-to-back championship triumphs. It will be interesting to see if he can emulate Michael Schumacher and win his 5th consecutive title.
