Christian Horner Breaks Silence on Red Bull RB21’s Invisible Changes for 2025

Alex Harrington | Feb 26, 2025

Jun 8, 2024; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal Christian Horner in the pit lane at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Mandatory Credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images / Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has shed light on the less visible changes made to the RB21 car for the 2025 Formula 1 season. Their new contender, while visually reminiscent of its predecessor RB20, boasts multiple subtle changes. Horner was asked about this during pre-season testing in Bahrain.

Red Bull enters the 2025 season with high hopes, aiming to bounce back after their third-place finish in the 2024 Constructors' Championship. The drop from their dominating run in 2023, winning 21 out of 22 races, prompted a critical look at how the Milton Keynes outfit could refine their car to widen its operating window. Consistency issues faced with the RB20 in 2024 prompted a major reevaluation and subsequent changes to improve balance and performance.  

More News: Red Bull F1 Team Unveils 2025 Car: RB21

With new technical leadership following Adrian Newey's departure in 2024, Pierre Wache now leads the designs at Red Bull as technical director. Wache takes over as the RB21 becomes the first Red Bull car developed without Newey's input. Horner himself has been twenty years in his position, leading the team.

The chief noted that most Formula 1 teams are following convergent design trends, albeit with Ferrari being a notable exception.

"I think that in this cycle of regulations, it's clear that the cars have converged and they look very similar," he mentioned. "I think probably Ferrari is a standout as probably being a differentiator, but it's inevitable that marginal gains are going to be there every season."

Despite the RB21's physical similarities to last year's model, Horner points to differences in places more hidden than others.

He further elaborated on these changes:

"Every surface on our car is different to last year. It just looks similar because it's a similar philosophy." The RB21 was put through diligent development over the winter. "We've had a good winter. We've prepared well."

More News: Red Bull Have 'Done a Good Job with Car Over the Winter'   

Red Bull plans to refine the RB21's performance through incremental developments throughout the season while maintaining a steady level of focus on the 2026 regulations.

"This season is all going to be about evolution. It's going to be about trying to get incremental bits of performance," Horner explained. From Melbourne to Abu Dhabi, it's set to be an ongoing race to optimize.  

The RB21 will make its debut with minimal alterations since initial testing.

"It's basically the car that we'll start the season with," Horner stated, pushing back against the rumors of the car undergoing changes ahead of the official start of the first round. The team is looking to get the most out of the RB21 at a variety of track types. With several competitive teams, including McLaren and Ferrari, putting up a solid challenge, extracting maximum performance from the RB21 will be key to remaining at the top of the grid.

More News: Max Verstappen to Take the Wheel First in Red Bull Testing  

"I think the biggest winner out of that will be the fans and the followers of the sport."  

As the 2025 F1 season unfolds, Red Bull faces several new challenges. While key personnel changes have reshaped the team, they also boast a new driver lineup as Liam Lawson replaces Sergio Perez as Max Verstappen's teammate. On top of this, their powertrain partnership with Ford is also going to consume a level of focus for the team's management.

For the latest F1 news, head over to F1 on SI.