BREAKING: Verstappen voices major Red Bull CONCERNS for… read more
As the 2025 Formula 1 season prepares to kick off at the Australian Grand Prix, reigning champion Max Verstappen has expressed significant concerns about Red Bull’s performance. The team’s struggles during pre-season testing in Bahrain have left Verstappen and his team scrambling to address the issues before the season opener in Melbourne.
Red Bull’s dominance in recent years has been challenged by the emergence of McLaren and Ferrari as serious contenders. The Milton Keynes outfit’s drop to third place in the constructors’ championship in 2024 served as a wake-up call, and the team has been working tirelessly to regain their competitive edge.
However, the three days of pre-season testing in Bahrain did little to alleviate Verstappen’s concerns. Liam Lawson’s full day of running on Thursday was disrupted by rain and a loss of engine water pressure, which forced him to return to the garage. The team’s struggles to complete a trouble-free day of testing have raised questions about their readiness for the new season.
Verstappen’s comments after pre-season testing were laced with caution, as he acknowledged that Red Bull still has work to do before the season opener in Australia. “There were a few small issues, but overall we completed a lot of what we wanted to do,” Verstappen said in a Red Bull press release. “I think it was not bad, but at the same time, there is still some work to do. We probably won’t be the fastest in Melbourne.”
Red Bull’s technical director, Pierre Wache, echoed Verstappen’s sentiments, but offered a glimmer of hope. Wache acknowledged that the team’s testing program had not been as smooth as expected, but emphasized that the issues encountered were a normal part of the development process.
“It wasn’t as smooth a test as we and the team expected, but it’s better to find problems here,” Wache said. “That’s why we test, we want to understand the car better. I’m not as happy as I could be, because sometimes the car didn’t respond as we wanted. Nevertheless, it’s going in the right direction, although maybe we didn’t expect such problems with this new design. That’s something we need to work on for our future development.”
As Red Bull continues to work on addressing their issues, the team’s rivals will be looking to capitalize on their struggles. McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes have all shown impressive form during pre-season testing, and will be eager to strike a blow against Red Bull in the season opener.
Despite the challenges ahead, Verstappen remains optimistic about Red Bull’s prospects. The Dutch driver has a reputation for being able to extract the maximum from his car, and will be determined to lead Red Bull back to the top of the podium.
As the 2025 Formula 1 season prepares to get underway, the stage is set for a thrilling battle between the sport’s top teams. Red Bull’s struggles during pre-season testing have added an extra layer of intrigue to the proceedings, and fans will be eagerly awaiting the season opener in Australia to see how the team’s issues will impact their performance.
