Red Bull Unveils Timeline To Launch 2025 F1 Car: A First Without Adrian Newey's Inputs

Saajan Jogia | Dec 20, 2024

May 4, 2024; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen (1) goes into turn 2 during the F1 Sprint Race at Miami International Autodrome. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has announced the timeline for unveiling the team's 2025 RB21 F1 car, marking the first Red Bull design created without input from outgoing chief technical officer and legendary Formula 1 aero guru, Adrian Newey.

Newey has been pivotal in shaping Red Bull’s dominance, crafting championship-winning cars throughout the ground effect era. Among his masterpieces is the RB19, a standout design that powered Red Bull to a commanding 2023 season, achieving 21 victories in 22 races. Despite his immense contributions, it was revealed this year that Newey will depart Red Bull to join Aston Martin.

He is set to join the Silverstone outfit in March 2025, taking his expertise to a team that has been hit by the difficulties of the ground effect era. However, his inputs on the car may only materialize much later in the season, or maybe even in 2026, when the premier class of motorsport enters a new era of regulations.

The upcoming season will test Red Bull's ability to maintain its dominance without Newey's expertise. Notably, Red Bull faced balance problems on the car this year shortly after news of Newey's departure surfaced, though no direct connection has been confirmed. Adding to the changes, 2025 will be Red Bull's final season with Honda as its power unit supplier, with Honda transitioning to Aston Martin as its exclusive engine partner.

From 2026, Red Bull will rely on power units developed by Red Bull Powertrains in collaboration with Ford, marking a big shift in the team’s technical direction. Speaking about the RB21's launch, Horner said he has full confidence in the team to design a fast and reliable car without Newey. He told Sky Sports F1, as reported by RacingNews365:

“This is the first time that Adrian [Newey] will have had absolutely no input into the car.

“That’s for the team to step up to that challenge.

“I’m confident they can do that. They've got strength and depth and we’ll see what the RB21 looks like when it's unveiled at the end of January.”

The 2025 season will bring another significant shift for Red Bull, with VCARB driver Liam Lawson joining Max Verstappen as his teammate. Lawson’s promotion from the junior team, announced yesterday, came after a close battle with Yuki Tsunoda for the coveted seat. Ultimately, Lawson’s composure under intense pressure secured him the spot. He will replace Sergio Perez, whose inconsistent performance this season contributed to his departure from the team.