Racing Bulls became the latest Formula 1 team to shakedown a 2025-spec car as it ran the VCARB 02 in its striking new livery during a filming day at Imola on Thursday.
The Faenza-based squad unveiled the revamped white colour scheme that will adorn its two cars in the upcoming season during F1’s season launch event on Tuesday.
That coincided with Racing Bulls also releasing renders showcasing the actual machine, which has had its maiden run at the venue closest to the side’s Italian base.
Both Yuki Tsunoda, now in his fifth season with the Red Bull satellite squad, and rookie team-mate Isack Hadjar completed a shakedown restricted to 200 kilometres.
Racing Bulls’ newest car was poised to be built on the architecture used on Red Bull’s 2024 challenger, the RB20, which Max Verstappen drove to a fourth straight title.
But amid suspicion about the extent of the collaboration between the two Red Bull-owned parties, Racing Bulls boss Laurent Mekies insisted no rules have been broken.
“We try to share what is within the regulations, it is not 100 per cent of the load but it’s the main components we can share: the gearbox, [and] suspension,” he addressed to media including Motorsport Week at the F1 75 season event in London earlier this week.
Racing Bulls aiming for more consistent campaign
Racing Bulls endured a mixed season in 2024 as unanticipated complications with mid-season upgrades derailed a promising start, culminating in an eighth-place finish.
Mekies explained that Racing Bulls has aimed to address the issues that blighted the VCARB 02’s predecessor to sustain a more consistent campaign this time around.
“We had very good moments last year, we had more difficult races,” he added.
“So in terms of overall targets we have tried to understand what made our car not so consistent last year and hopefully we will be able to address some of that.
“Now we have done that whilst in parallel we were continuing to evolve the team, to continue to build the teams, so I’m not here to tell you that we think we have solved all of our competitiveness issues, no, but certainly the team is gelling together in the right directions.”
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