Red Bull gives a glimpse of its new RB21 chassis for 2025 · RaceFans

Red Bull has revealed the first images of the RB21, its new car for the 2025 Formula 1 season.

The car ran for the first time today at the Bahrain International Circuit, where the team conducted a filming day ahead of the start of testing tomorrow. Reigning world champion Max Verstappen and new team mate Liam Lawson both drove.

The team encountered windy conditions at the track where pre-season testing will begin tomorrow. “Given the weather you would be excused for thinking we were still in Silverstone,” said team principal Christian Horner. “It’s always exciting seeing a new car out on track for the first time and it was a good systems check in preparation for tomorrow when the RB21 takes to the track with some of its competitors.”

The first track and studio images issued by the team reveal little of their new car. The team will be hoping the RB21 can hit the same performance peaks as its predecessor, but do so more consistently, as Verstappen became frustrated with the car’s balance as the season progressed.

Verstappen said he isn’t able to judge yet whether the new car is a significant improvement. “I got a few laps in, but today was more about getting comfortable in the car, seeing what fits and we will then learn more about the car over the next few days,” he said. “We know what last year’s limitations were, so it is important that we assess the pace over the next few days and see if we have improved.”

Red Bull has been the most successful F1 team since the current ground effect regulations were introduced. However after back-to-back constructors’ championship wins in 2022 and 2023, they fell to third in the standings last year.

Lawson’s arrival in place of Sergio Perez is one of several significant changes at the team. It has lost several key members of staff, foremost among them its former chief technical director Adrian Newey, widely regarded as F1’s foremost engineer. He will join Aston Martin this year.

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Red Bull has also lost its sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, who will join Sauber as its team principal. Steve Knowles will fulfil his role as the team’s new acting head of sporting.

Will Courtenay remains the team’s head of race strategy for the time being, but he is due to move to McLaren.

Besides Verstappen, who is contracted to Red Bull until 2028, the most significant constant is its team principal. Despite considerable speculation over his future 12 months ago, when he was the subject of an internal investigation over his conduct, which cleared him, Horner remains in charge of the team he brought into F1 20 years ago.

The RB21’s livery, which was presented at the F1 75 launch event a week ago, is largely unchanged from last year. The most prominent exception is the change of sponsor on its rear wing.