McLaren have made some huge changes to their car for the 2025 Formula 1 season, but Pierre Wache admits Red Bull think one part on the MCL39 might be ‘very risky’.
The Woking and Milton Keynes crews are set to slug it out this season for top honours in the F1 drivers and constructors’ championships. McLaren knocked Red Bull off their perch to get their first teams’ title since 1998 last term, with the latter even dropping down to third place.
Red Bull had won the previous two constructors’ titles but, while Max Verstappen still won a fourth consecutive F1 drivers’ championship, paid the price after Sergio Perez earned 34.8% of his teammates’ points. Verstappen will fight McLaren pilot Lando Norris for the 2025 title.
Red Bull feel McLaren have been ‘very risky’ with their 2025 F1 car’s front suspension
Yet McLaren have not rested on their laurels after taking the teams’ title, despite 2025 being the last year before F1’s 2026 engine and chassis regulation changes come into force. Norris and Oscar Piastri have been getting used to a modified car at F1 testing in Bahrain this week.
One change that McLaren have made whilst designing the MCL39 that has particularly stood out to Red Bull technical director Wache is the front suspension on Piastri and Norris’ car for the 2025 Formula 1 season. The Woking outfit put a lot of time into creating their front end.
READ MORE: All you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine
But while McLaren’s front suspension at the home of the Bahrain Grand Prix caught Wache’s eye, the Red Bull chief admits his team believe it may prove to be ‘very risky’. McLaren have lowered the upper wishbone rear leg inboard pickup point in a bid to increase the anti-dive.
“We look at other people’s solutions when we have some time,” Wache told Canal+. “Some things are interesting, some are less so. The McLaren is very interesting. After all, they have a lot of flexible wings at the front and at the rear.
“Their front suspension is very interesting, but also very risky from our point of view. It will be very interesting to see if they can make it work.”
Pierre Wache thinks Ferrari have ‘tried to correct the problems’ with their new F1 car
Red Bull chief Wache will continue to keep tabs on how McLaren get on with their new front suspension once the 2025 season starts at the Australian Grand Prix on March 16. He is also not alone in taking note of it as Gary Anderson thinks McLaren’s wishbone is a ‘bold move’.
McLaren’s new challenger is not the only car to catch Wache’s eye during F1 testing, though, as the Red Bull technical director has also taken an interest in Ferrari’s machine. Wache also feels the Scuderia and McLaren will help to form a close fight for Red Bull in the term ahead.
“Ferrari is also interesting,” the Frenchman continued. “I think they have tried to correct the problems they had in the past. I think it will be a very close fight between four teams.”
