Red Bull has conceded that it is “not confident” about how competitive the team’s 2025 Formula 1 car will shape up amid the problems it has experienced this season.
The reigning champions began the campaign appearing imperious once more as Max Verstappen headed three dominant 1-2 finishes in the opening four races alone.
However, Red Bull’s advantage was soon eroded and the side relied on Verstappen’s brilliance at numerous races to continue to overcome the threat that rivals posed.
But even the Dutchman’s genius wasn’t enough once Red Bull’s handling woes deteriorated to the stage that he endured a 10-race winless run that threatened his title.
Verstappen, though, protected his advantage during that drought and then triumphed with a spectacular race in the wet in Brazil to set up his coronation in Las Vegas.
But although its updates in Austin helped to stabilise the RB20, Red Bull Technical Director Pierre Wache has expressed concern about the team’s prospects for 2025.
Asked whether the late-season improvement had inspired optimism for next season, Wache told Autosport: “I think we are happy with what we have done quickly.
“I’m not confident for ’25. I’m not confident because I think the others are very quick or are there. It will be a fight for the full year.”
Wache reveals solace to 2025 concern
Expanding on his worries, however, Wache implied that his pessimistic outlook will serve to ensure that Red Bull avoids becoming complacent with work on the RB21.
“If you have confidence in this business, you are dead,” he said. “You have to work hard, and everybody has to, in the team, work hard. Everybody’s working hard.
“When you see the number of people we have trying to find a very small amount of performance and add and add and add everywhere, it is a very difficult task.
“I have a lack of confidence, because if I have confidence, you go to sleep, you don’t go to work, and then you don’t find performance.”
Red Bull surprised by 2023 dominance
Meanwhile, Wache has revealed that the intense battle at the sharp end between the leading quartet in 2024 is the opposition that Red Bull expected to face last term.
“What happened this year in terms of fighting is what we expected in 2023, to be honest,” the Frenchman admitted.
“In ’22, we didn’t start the season with the quickest car as Ferrari’s start [was strong].
“So then we expected the fight in ’23 but it didn’t happen. And in ’24, from the beginning of the season, it also didn’t happen! That I cannot explain.
“It’s not like if we did a better job. This [was] more the others did a bad job during certain periods. McLaren started late on this season and it’s not our fault.
“The car was not massively different. In absolute terms, it stays the same. But we have to improve the performance of the car, because the others are quicker.”
