As the 2025 Formula 1 season approaches, Red Bull Racing is gearing up for a new challenge at the season opener in Melbourne, Australia. The Australian Grand Prix, traditionally the first race of the season, will mark the beginning of a fresh campaign, with Max Verstappen and Red Bull eager to bounce back after a less-than-ideal finish to 2024.
Max Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive drivers’ championship last year, triumphing at the Las Vegas Grand Prix and extending his dominance in the sport. However, the Dutchman’s victory didn’t reflect the struggles Red Bull faced throughout the season. While Verstappen continued to perform at an elite level, there were noticeable performance issues within the team. A 10-race winless streak in 2025, combined with a decline in form from his teammate Sergio Perez, meant Red Bull finished third in the Constructors’ Championship, their worst result since 2019.
This drop to third place in the constructors’ standings marks a significant shift for the team. In Formula 1, the order of garages in the paddock is determined by the previous year’s standings, and Red Bull’s slip to third means they will now occupy a less advantageous position for the upcoming season. After dominating both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships for the past two years, Red Bull now faces the prospect of being further down the paddock order, starting the 2025 season with their garage in third place.
McLaren, after claiming their first team championship trophy since 1998, will take the prime spot in the paddock, with Ferrari securing the second garage. This means that Verstappen, team principal Christian Horner, and new driver Liam Lawson will all have to adjust to a new reality, with their garage positioned behind both McLaren and Ferrari, something the team hasn’t had to contend with in recent years.
The team’s new position in the paddock is already causing a bit of confusion, as demonstrated by Verstappen’s small mistake during the recent pre-season testing in Bahrain. As the final day of testing concluded, Verstappen entered the pits, but he appeared to forget that Red Bull’s garage would now be in third position. The four-time world champion, seemingly used to pulling into the first garage, mistakenly swerved into the space between McLaren and Ferrari’s new spots.
During the live broadcast, Sky F1 commentator David Croft remarked on Verstappen’s minor slip-up: “Here’s Max coming into the pits, pit limiter on, 80 kilometers an hour, where shall I go? Tell you what, I’ll go into the first one, that’s where I always go isn’t it?” Croft continued, acknowledging Verstappen’s error: “Oh Max, that is not where we go now, I’m afraid your team finished third in the constructors’ championship and you’re a little way down.”
While the mistake was a harmless one, it highlights the challenge Red Bull now faces in adjusting to a demotion within the paddock. After two years of dominance, the team will have to adapt to a new position and navigate the shifting dynamics within the F1 grid. The upcoming Australian Grand Prix will serve as a crucial moment for Red Bull as they look to regain their footing, not just in the standings but also in their overall approach to the new season.
For Verstappen, Lawson, and the rest of the team, the 2025 season represents a fresh start and an opportunity to bounce back from the disappointments of the previous year. With new challenges ahead, Red Bull will be hoping that their past successes can fuel their ambitions to reclaim their spot at the top of the Constructors’ Championship and continue their fight for supremacy in the sport.
