Red Bull’s 2025 contender, the RB21, has shown flashes of brilliance — but also puzzling inconsistency. Is this car still the class of the field, or has McLaren finally caught and surpassed it?
A car that confounds expectations
Red Bull entered 2025 as the dominant force in F1. Yet five races in, the RB21 hasn’t replicated the bulletproof stability of its predecessors.
After qualifying in China, Max Verstappen suggested Red Bull is now “the fourth-fastest team”. That may have been exaggerated, but it underlines a key reality: the car is no longer clearly ahead.
Despite this, when everything clicks, the RB21 remains the most devastating package on race day. Its long-run pace and tyre management are still world-class.
McLaren looks faster — but is it?
Much has been said about McLaren’s consistency and downforce profile, particularly on high-speed tracks. The MCL38 is well-balanced and rarely surprises its drivers.
Red Bull’s RB21, by contrast, is more sensitive to track conditions and set-up. But it can still outperform the McLaren in the right window — particularly when Verstappen is at the wheel.
An engineering philosophy with razor-thin margins
Red Bull’s design philosophy remains ultra-aggressive. Low ride height, sharp front-end, narrow operating windows — the RB21 is a car that demands perfection.
This makes it vulnerable to external factors: wind, track temperature, slow corner sequences. It’s why Pérez struggles more often — the car is simply unforgiving.
Fastest when perfect, frustrating when not
The RB21 is not fundamentally flawed — far from it. But its volatility means Red Bull must work harder to unlock its pace consistently.
If the team can find that balance, Verstappen remains the title favourite. If not, McLaren and Ferrari are ready to pounce.