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Debate | Verstappen makes the RB21 look better than it really is
Verstappen's ability to extract maximum performance from any car is undeniable, and it's possible that his talent is masking deeper issues with the RB21. While Red Bull remains competitive, McLaren's clear advantage suggests the RB21 might not be as strong as in previous years. Lawson's struggles further highlight this—if the car were truly dominant, his results would likely be better. What do you think? Is Red Bull in more trouble than it seems?
By the end of 2024, Red Bull’s dominance had faded, with McLaren and Ferrari overtaking them in the constructors' standings. While Verstappen’s exceptional talent secured him a fourth consecutive drivers' title, the team itself struggled to keep up. Now, in 2025, the question remains: can Red Bull regain its edge, or will it have to fight even harder to stay at the top?
During the winter tests in Bahrain in February, it became apparent that Red Bull would not be the frontrunner in 2025. McLaren emerged as the big favourite, with Mercedes and Ferrari also showing strong performances. When the season kicked off in Australia, the predictions proved accurate: the RB21 struggled to keep up with McLaren's pace. Although Max Verstappen secured a podium finish in Melbourne, his teammate, Liam Lawson, had a disappointing race and was forced to retire early after an incident.
During sprint qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix, Liam Lawson had another opportunity to prove himself, but once again, things didn’t go as planned. While Verstappen secured a challenging second-place grid spot, Lawson ended up at the back of the field. Unlike in previous years, where such results would often lead to heavy criticism of the driver, both Christian Horner and Helmut Marko have consistently supported Lawson.
After the session, Christijan Albers expressed in his column for De Telegraaf that he believes Red Bull's image is skewed by the 'Max factor.' According to Albers, Verstappen’s extraordinary performance tends to overshadow the team’s overall situation, making it appear rosier than it may actually be.
GPblog's debate on Max Verstappen
Vote along and comment: Does Max Verstappen make Red Bull Racing's situation look better than it actually is?
This article was written in collaboration with Kim Hoefnagel