New Red Bull F1 car breaks cover

Red Bull test new RB21 ahead of competition –  Red Bull gains an edge as Verstappen and Lawson hit the Bahrain track early for film day as Red Bull tests RB21 ahead of official preseason – As the countdown to the 2025 Formula One season intensifies, Red Bull Racing has once again demonstrated its strategic ingenuity. With the official three-day pre-season test in Bahrain set to begin on 26 February, Red Bull is exploiting a regulatory loophole to get an early start.

By using a designated filming day, the reigning champions will have the RB21 on track before any of their rivals. The move allows Red Bull to fine-tune its latest challenger ahead of the competition, maximising its preparation time and ironing out any teething problems before the crucial pre-season testing days begin.

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Formula 1’s pre-season constraints and Red Bull’s advantage

In the past, Formula One teams enjoyed a great deal of flexibility when it came to pre-season testing. In recent years, however, the sport has imposed strict restrictions, reducing the testing window to just three days. These condensed sessions put teams under immense pressure, leaving little room for error or last-minute adjustments.

With so little time available, teams must optimise every lap to ensure their cars are in peak condition ahead of the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix. However, Red Bull have managed to extend their preparation time by an extra day by cleverly using one of the two filming days allowed by Formula One regulations.

These filming days, primarily for marketing and promotional purposes, allow teams to run their cars for a maximum of 200 kilometres in strictly controlled conditions. While true performance testing is restricted, teams can still gather valuable data on handling, balance and early reliability concerns.

With Max Verstappen and reserve driver Liam Lawson set to take to the track in Bahrain on 25 February, Red Bull will gain a crucial head start – one that could prove vital in their championship defence.

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Filming Days: A strategic opportunity for F1 teams

While officially designed for the creation of commercial content, filming days have long been used by teams as a subtle means of conducting early shakedown runs. These sessions provide a rare opportunity to evaluate a new car in real-world conditions before the official testing window begins.

For Red Bull, this approach is particularly important. Should any unexpected technical issues arise, the team will have a full day to resolve them before the official testing begins. This proactive measure reduces the risk of losing valuable track time during the limited testing period.

Formula 1 teams operate on razor-thin performance margins and any advantage – no matter how small – can make a significant difference. Given the high-stakes nature of pre-season testing, where every minute counts, Red Bull’s decision to use its day of filming in Bahrain is a strategic masterstroke.

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Verstappen and Lawson set to take the wheel

According to the Dutch edition of *Motorsport.com*, Red Bull will entrust Max Verstappen and Liam Lawson with the task of shaking down the RB21 ahead of the official test.

For three-time world champion Verstappen, this early opportunity is an invaluable chance to familiarise himself with the latest iteration of Red Bull’s car. Given the team’s dominant form in recent seasons, any incremental refinements could further cement their position at the top.

Meanwhile, the involvement of Liam Lawson is also notable. The young New Zealander has been knocking on the door for a full-time F1 seat and is seen as a key figure in Red Bull’s future plans. His participation in such an important session underlines the team’s confidence in his abilities.

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Red Bull’s winter focus: Tackling balance issues

Technical Director Pierre Wache has given an insight into Red Bull’s development priorities over the winter break. Despite securing the Drivers’ Championship for 2024, the team has identified key areas for improvement – most notably balance.

“Our main focus has been on solving the balance issues that affected us last season,” explained Wache.

“That doesn’t mean we’ve ignored other aspects of the car, but balance has been our primary concern.”

While Red Bull’s dominance was evident in the previous campaign, the team struggled to achieve consistent handling balance, particularly in varying track conditions. By addressing this early, Red Bull aims to ensure the RB21 is an even more formidable competitor in 2025.

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Implications for the competition

Red Bull’s proactive approach will undoubtedly put its rivals on notice. With the likes of Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren looking to close the gap, every advantage counts.

The early track time could give Red Bull an extra layer of preparation, allowing the team to fine-tune its set-up and iron out any potential reliability issues before the real testing begins. Given how small the performance gap can be in modern Formula One, this seemingly small advantage could translate into significant gains once the race begins.

With the 2025 season fast approaching, Red Bull’s decision to hit the track ahead of the competition underlines its commitment to maintaining its dominance. By making the most of every opportunity, the team is cementing its reputation as one of the most strategically astute operations in the sport.

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A shrewd move by Red Bull

Red Bull’s decision to use a day of filming for a pre-test shakedown is a clever use of the Formula One regulations. While other teams have to wait until 26 February to begin their pre-season testing programmes, Red Bull will already have valuable data in hand – data that could make all the difference when the real action begins.

With Verstappen and Lawson leading the way, the RB21’s early debut in Bahrain could be a crucial step in Red Bull’s 2025 campaign. As the rest of the grid looks on, one thing is clear: the reigning champions are leaving nothing to chance.

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Red Bull Racing once the masters of the seamless transition of their drivers found themselves wanting during last seasons Formula One campaign. Since the days of Sebastian Vettel, the Milton Keynes based team has their next star driver ready as the current star begins to fade.

Daniel Ricciardo stepped up in 2014, following four years of dominance from Red Bull and his team mate Sebastian Vettel. The youth and enthusiasm of the then young Aussie trounced the experience of his vastly more experienced team mate, who decided after just one year of their partner ship, it was tine to move on to Ferrari.

Max Verstappen too was transitioned from the junior squad alongside Ricciardo in 2016, although it was almost two full years before the Dutch driver got the better of the loveable Ricciardo. Yet since the promotion of Max to the senior team, Red Bull’s seamless supply of young drivers appeared to have dried up…READ MORE ON THIS STORY