Red Bull to reportedly take inspiration from McLaren in solving key problem

Red Bull Racing would reportedly take a leaf out of McLaren's book of car development to bring in new upgrades. According to Autoracer, the Milton Keynes-based squad will likely introduce a new cooling system from the Imola GP to tackle tire heat management, especially of the rear end.

Max Verstappen's P6 finish at the 2025 Bahrain Grand Prix ignited a debate about his team's downfall. In a chaotic race, the Dutchman faced balance and brake problems. Moreover, the two failed pit stops further pushed him down in the pecking order.

However, a key issue that Verstappen and his teammate Yuki Tsunoda faced in Sakhir was tire management. The hot track of Bahrain led to excessive tire wear, which messed up the balance of the car, RB21. Verstappen also stated that tire management with RB21 was worse this year than before.

Hence, to tackle the issue and ensure better tire management, Red Bull has reportedly planned to bring a cooling system inspired by McLaren at the 2025 Imola Grand Prix. According to Autoracer, the team will introduce a significant upgrade package in Imola, reportedly tried and tested by McLaren, which will help in cooling the tires better.

While the tire management was a significant issue ruining Max Verstappen's race in Bahrain, the team also dealt with a persistent correlation issue. After their debacle in the second half of the 2024 season, team principal Christian Horner admitted to it.

Now, in 2025, the problem is reportedly unsolved, as Horner said in Bahrain that data from the wind tunnel did not match with on-track performance. This was a serious concern because the team had been flying blind when it came to making improvements.

With McLaren extending their lead in the Constructors' championship with three wins in four races, the Bulls must bounce back as soon as possible to stay in contention.

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Max Verstappen expects a better outing at Jeddah for Red Bull

Max Verstappen at F1 Grand Prix of Bahrain - Qualifying - Source: Getty

After a disappointing stint at the Bahrain GP, where he finished P6, Max Verstappen seemed optimistic about Red Bull's chances at the Saudi Arabian GP. He explained that Jeddah's circuit offers low tire degradation and has historically suited the car.

Talking to grandprix247, he said:

“Last year Jeddah was a good track for us, and it is a proper high-speed semi-street circuit, which is fun to drive. Typically, there is less tire degradation at this circuit, so it naturally should be a better race for us. We have a final push with this being the third race and final weekend of the triple header, so hopefully we can find more pace and bring out a performance similar to Japan."

This season, Max Verstappen has only won a single race in Japan out of the four grand prix held so far. On the other hand, Red Bull has dropped to P3 in the Constructors championship with 71 points.