Max Verstappen confident in Red Bull upgrades as he eyes fifth F1 title

Max Verstappen says Red Bull are confident in the changes made to their 2025 car as he chases a fifth consecutive Formula 1 drivers’ title.

Verstappen dominated the first half of last season before McLaren closed the gap, with Lando Norris emerging as a strong challenger. Despite his rival’s late-season surge, the Dutchman held on to secure his fourth championship.

“The development direction we chose showed promise, but it didn’t work as expected on track,” Verstappen said. “We had to change a few things. We’re confident it’s the right direction, but let’s see how much we can extract.”

The new RB21 will debut in a filming day test in Bahrain on Tuesday before official pre-season testing begins on Wednesday. Red Bull have released images of the car, but key aerodynamic details remain concealed.

This will be Red Bull’s first season without legendary designer Adrian Newey, who joins Aston Martin on 3 March. However, Verstappen remains focused: “I don’t think we should dwell on it. Adrian isn’t here anymore, but we have a strong team, and it’s a group effort.”

New Zealand’s Liam Lawson replaces Sergio Perez as Verstappen’s team-mate, with Red Bull aiming to reclaim the constructors’ title. “The goal is clear,” Lawson said. “If we’re fighting for wins and the championship, I’m doing my job.”

Should Verstappen win the title again, he will become only the second driver in F1 history to secure five consecutive championships, after Michael Schumacher.