Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies has acknowledged that there is no short-term remedy to the existing limitations that continue to plague the team’s 2025 Formula 1 car.
The Austrian squad unleashed new upgrades in Belgium last weekend as it prepares to tie up development to pivot attention to next season’s sweeping rule changes.
Max Verstappen utilised Red Bull’s revised package and a potent set-up designed to maximise straight-line speed to usurp the McLaren duo in the 15-lap Sprint Race.
However, the Dutchman’s prospects in the main race were compromised when a switch to a set-up tailored to the wet became redundant as the start was suspended.
But while that thwarted his aim to pip Charles Leclerc to a spot on the podium, Verstappen underlined that Spa-Francorchamps had exposed Red Bull’s shortcomings.
“Realistically P3 would have been the highest possible,” Verstappen, who crossed the line 21 seconds behind Oscar Piastri, said to media including Motorsport Week.
“We were very close to that, but at the same time, it also still highlighted our weaknesses with the car. And that’s something that is not so easy to fix at the moment.”
Red Bull upgrades working as expected
Mekies insisted that the updates worked as anticipated, though he concurred with the reigning F1 champion’s view that there is no immediate fix to the RB21’s issues.
“Obviously, it’s difficult to give you much history, but certainly the team is happy with the package,” Mekies told media including Motorsport Week.
“In terms of, does it bring performance to the car? Yes. Does it bring it up? No. Does it fix all the balance limitations we have? No. It’s as simple as that.
“So we still have some work to do, but there are no questions on whether we brought performance to the car. We feel we did.
“Obviously, we cannot ignore the fact that also McLaren had a package this weekend, so it’s a usual development race between all the teams.”
The lessons Red Bull can carry from challgning 2025
Red Bull is expected to bring more parts to this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix to complete the development sequence that contained revisions at Imola and Britain.
But while Red Bull’s 2025 is poised to end without a title, Verstappen has declared that there are still worthwhile lessons to be acquired from the team’s tough season.
“I think it’s still important also this year to learn certain things, because they will also have an effect on next year,” Verstappen added.
“Because the cars will be completely different, but there are still things that we can work on and take also to next year.
“Of course, engineering and everything, the car design, of course, is on the way for next year, but we can still learn a lot also this year.”
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