Max Verstappen has urged his Red Bull team to “spice it up” when it comes to the livery of the team’s Formula 1 challenger in 2025, the RB21.
The Milton Keynes-based outfit, aside from special one-off colour schemes, has produced a continuation of a dark blue matte finish layout in recent years.
This, with the accompanying Red Bull logo adorning the cars, has made the look a highly-recognisable one over the last few seasons, but the reigning World Champion is keen for a change.
Speaking to the team’s in-house Talking Bull podcast, Verstappen is playing coy on what to expect when it comes to any possible alterations on the colour scheme.
“Well, when I come back to the factory the first time, you will get a bit of an idea,” he said.
Verstappen added that he is “looking forward to seeing my own car” at the unique F1 season launch at London’s O2 Arena in February and spoke of his expectations for the new livery, saying: “[I] hope it’s a bit different. I was actually talking about it today, I actually really like these cars as well [referring to older Red Bulls] with the shiny colour.
“We’ve had so many matte-blue cars, but I think sometimes it’s just nice to spice it up a little bit.”
Verstappen has only known the livery that he has raced with as a Red Bull driver, as the matte finish he is growing tired of made its debut in 2016, the year in which he joined the team, five races into the season from Toro Rosso.
Previously, the team had variations on the same theme, having a dark blue as its primary base colour but with a gloss finish, known most notably in the period in which Sebastian Vettel drove for the team, during which time he helped put it on the map with four successive world titles, just like Verstappen has accomplished.
Sauber gave Red Bull its wings before works team successes
Before Red Bull bought the Jaguar Racing team from Ford ahead of the 2005 F1 season, the energy drinks brand had already been appearing on F1 cars for a decade.
The company first brandished its famous name across a car in 1995, when it became a leading sponsor for the Sauber team, the original colour scheme similar that of the Red Bull team today.
From 1996 until 2004, the Swiss team opted for a dark purple and turquoise mix, becoming an iconic livery as it grew from nascent midfielders to points-challengers with drivers including Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Johnny Herbert, Jean Alesi, Nick Heidfeld, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa.
Similar colours were also on display this year, with Red Bull’s second team Racing Bulls launching a special livery for the Las Vegas Grand Prix, with many noticing what appeared to be a throwback to those Sauber days.
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