Pierre Waché Stands Firm on RB21 Design Despite Requests from….read more
Red Bull’s technical director, Pierre Waché, has made it clear that he will not compromise performance to achieve a wider operating window for the team’s new RB21 car for the 2025 Formula 1 season. This stance comes in response to requests from team principal Christian Horner and senior advisor Helmut Marko, who have emphasized the need for a more flexible and forgiving car after Red Bull’s struggles with the RB20 in the 2024 season.
Red Bull’s Challenges with the RB20 in 2024
Despite Max Verstappen securing his fourth consecutive Drivers’ Championship in 2024, his title victory was one of the most challenging of his career. He faced strong competition from McLaren’s Lando Norris and had to navigate a difficult period between June and November, during which he endured a 10-race winless streak—his longest since 2020.
A major issue with Red Bull’s RB20 was its unpredictability. Verstappen himself referred to the car as “a monster” after the Italian Grand Prix, highlighting the difficulty in extracting consistent performance from it. The car’s behavior was heavily influenced by even the smallest setup changes, making it challenging for both Verstappen and his teammate Sergio Perez to consistently maximize its potential.
Marko and Horner Push for a Wider Operating Window
Helmut Marko recently stressed that for Red Bull to maintain its dominance in 2025, the RB21 must have a wider working window. According to him, the RB20 was too sensitive to minor variations, which led to erratic performance fluctuations. A car with a broader operating window would allow for more consistent performance across different tracks, conditions, and race weekends.
Christian Horner echoed Marko’s concerns, admitting that one of the major shortcomings of the RB20 was the narrow operating window it developed, particularly after the team introduced an upgrade at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola. While the upgrade was intended to enhance performance, it instead made the car more difficult to handle, as only a very specific setup allowed it to function at an optimal level.
Horner revealed that Red Bull’s engineers have been actively working to address this issue while designing the RB21. He stated that the team is focused on reversing the negative effects seen in the RB20 and ensuring that the new car is more adaptable across different conditions.
Waché’s Reluctance to Compromise Performance
Despite these concerns from Horner and Marko, Pierre Waché remains steadfast in his approach to the RB21’s development. The technical director has emphasized that while a wider operating window is beneficial, he will not sacrifice outright performance to achieve it.
Waché’s stance suggests that Red Bull is prioritizing peak performance over consistency, potentially risking similar challenges to those faced with the RB20. If the RB21 follows a similar pattern, it could mean another difficult season where Red Bull’s dominance depends on perfect conditions rather than overall adaptability.
As the 2025 season approaches, all eyes will be on Red Bull to see if their new car strikes the right balance between outright speed and usability. If Waché’s philosophy pays off, the RB21 could be another championship-winning machine. However, if the issues of 2024 persist, Red Bull may find themselves in a closer battle with rivals like McLaren and Mercedes.
