Red Bull has pinpointed the Austrian and British Grands Prix as two rounds that will expose how competitive the team’s race pace is compared to its Formula 1 rivals.
McLaren endured a minor blip at the previous race as Canada marked the sole occasion this season that neither Lando Norris nor Oscar Piastri stood on the podium.
Verstappen’s drive to second place ensured that he reduced the gap to 21 points to Norris, whose crash with Piastri has dropped him 23 points behind his team-mate.
Red Bull appears to have made advances with the RB21 since introducing upgrades at Imola, though McLaren’s dominance in Spain proved it remains the benchmark.
The Woking-based squad has tended to be beatable across a single lap, but the opposition has struggled to match the MCL39’s superior tyre degradation in race trim.
Verstappen’s two victories in Japan and Imola have demonstrated that Red Bull can be a thorn in McLaren’s side in races where managing the rubber is less essential.
However, Red Bull Chief Engineer Paul Monaghan remains cautious about suggesting that it is the only area where McLaren continues to hold the upper hand in 2025.
“Japan’s as much [tyre] management. I mean, the energy that goes into that circuit is phenomenal,” Monaghan told media including Motorsport Week.
“It’s like Silverstone, every corners phenomenal speed and massive work for the tyres.
“I would have to acquiesce that your hint we don’t go so good in a long run was true in Barcelona. It wasn’t true in Imola, and it wasn’t true in Japan.
“So that area, from Japan [onwards], yes, we weren’t as strong as our opposition.
“[Canada] is slightly different in that you don’t have the long duration of corner, and they’re all low speed, and then it’s a dragster race, so different conditions.”
Red Bull braced for defining 2025 test
Monaghan, though, suspects the upcoming double-header at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone will distinguish whether Red Bull has eroded McLaren’s key advantage.
“Silverstone, I think, will be – perhaps Spielberg, if it’s warm – will be another work out where we can see: are we better, or worse, or indifferent to those guys in the long run, or anybody else,” he explained.
“Everybody can change their car, can’t they? So, it’s an area to work on. As usual, the Sunday afternoon exam will tell us if we’re right, wrong or in the middle.”
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