Verstappen in third with Red Bull? 'McLaren and Ferrari look faster'
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- Ludo van Denderen
Christian Horner was asked about it during the test days in Bahrain: Was the car Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson were driving really a new Red Bull Racing car? Indeed the RB21 has many external features of its predecessor, the RB20, but there are many differences under the bodywork and in the floor, among others, also states technical director Pierre Waché.
"I think it's more different than what we saw between RB19 and RB20 in terms of characteristic," Waché said in conversation with The Race. "After the end of the season of the RB19, there was an evolution. The shape [of the RB20] was massively different, but it was the same concept type. Now, clearly, the way we extract the speed, the characteristic of the car, is quite different."
Red Bull looking for the RB21's potential
During the test, Red Bull was still searching for the right set-up of the car, which means the RB21's full potential is not yet clear. "What it [the changes for 2025] gives us is a little bit more option to rebalance it. It is taking more time to understand what is your best option, and I think that is the process we are in at the moment."
Ahead of the first Grand Prix of the season, the expectation is that the field will be very close in Melbourne. Waché too has that expectation. And while he thus indicated he does not know the RB21's full potential, the Frenchman does venture a small prediction.
"At the moment it doesn't look like we are quick enough, but after we will see. It looks like McLaren and Ferrari are quicker."
This article was written in collaboration with Norberto Mujica.
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