Max Verstappen‘s triumphant Formula 1 Japanese Grand Prix victory was built on a Red Bull strength that could threaten to trouble McLaren this weekend in Bahrain.
Verstappen took a surprise pole position in Japan and, with limited tyre degradation, held the two McLarens at bay to take victory in the race.
Red Bull started the 2025 season on the back foot to McLaren, who won the chaotic season opener in Melbourne with a victor in Lando Norris.
The opening two rounds of the season hinted at an instant McLaren dominance, with Oscar Piastri clinching the win in China with a nine-second margin over his teammate.
It’s clear the McLaren has many strengths, especially in high-speed corners, but Norris pointed out Red Bull’s proficiency through low speed was on show at Suzuka.
“I think after today [Japan], our weakness was the slow speed compared to [Red Bull],” he told select media, including Motorsport Week.
“There’s a lot less high-speed, so we’re kind of losing some of our strengths, and we’re going more into our weaknesses.
“Clearly, they’re quick. You know, I feel like between Oscar and myself, we got a lot out of the car yesterday.
“It was probably a little bit more, yes, but both our theoreticals were not that far ahead. So Max is doing a good job and Red Bull seemed to maybe have caught up a little bit.
“But they’ve also not been that bad the whole season. When you look at Australia, he was fighting for a win.
“When you look at China, he wasn’t miles away. And this weekend he’s done very good. So I expect him to be challenging us every weekend.”
What fate lies ahead for McLaren and Red Bull in Bahrain?
McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella had a similar interpretation to Norris, saying, “Well, certainly we know that these two points were for our car in general, I think we had most of the time loss. I would say perhaps Lando a bit more than Oscar.
“We have seen this also in qualifying, especially the last chicane is where Lando loses all the time.
“Otherwise, it’s a pretty straight drive to pole position, so some work to do, which is in terms of improving the car and some work to do also for Lando in this braking zone, where we have something to polish.”
The RB21’s advantage through the low-speed traction zone of Suzuka’s final chicane was enough to fend off McLaren in both qualifying and the main race.
McLaren’s fate in Suzuka may follow it to Bahrain, somewhat of a bogey circuit for the team and a layout that is heavily comprised of low-speed traction zones.
However, McLaren was the pacesetting outfit at Bahrain during pre-season testing, which Stella at the time said could be a sign the team has made progress at the venue.
“Bahrain [was] one of the tracks in which we have struggled to perform in previous years,” he said.
“Looking at the track layout, looking at some kind of demand associated with the low grip, for instance, and the [track surface] roughness, big demand on traction, we have a justification as to why our car wasn’t necessarily working very well at this circuit.
“We have worked over the last couple of years to try and improve on those requirements that are needed in circuits of this kind where you have tight corners, for example, and we think we have made some progress.”
It won’t be long to find out if Verstappen can capitalise on Red Bull’s perceived low-speed advantage in Bahrain, or whether McLarne can overcome this particular deificeny.
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