Red Bull revealed the first pictures of their 2025 Formula 1 car, the RB21, on Tuesday morning. They’ve planned to hold a shakedown in Bahrain before pre-season testing gets underway.
F1 fans already know what the new Red Bull livery looks like. Every team showcased their 2025 design at an event in London last week.
With minimal changes to the car’s paintwork – as has become customary at Milton Keynes – the bigger headline was the boos directed at Christian Horner and Max Verstappen. Red Bull were unhappy that they were the only team jeered by the crowd.
But fans were still eager to see the technical innovations introduced by Pierre Wache and co. Jos Verstappen is concerned about Red Bull’s personnel changes, with Adrian Newey among those leaving.
Teams were allowed to use ‘show cars’ at the O2 Arena, denying rivals a chance to study their aerodynamic concept. The veil of secrecy will slip in Bahrain this week.
Verstappen is looking to win a fifth consecutive world championship behind the wheel of the RB21. He’s joined by a brand-new teammate in Liam Lawson, who replaces Sergio Perez.
Red Bull told they’ve wasted F1 fans’ time with 2025 F1 car reveal
The first studio images of the RB21 went live just after 9.15am UK time on Tuesday. The team published a wide-angle along with a close-up of the front of the car.
However, fans weren’t pleased. They felt Red Bull had obscured so many details that the ‘launch’ was hardly worthwhile.
One fan on X remarked ‘yes it’s a car, that’s all I can see’, while another asked ‘what are you trying to hide with all the lights?’. Another reply simply read ‘show us it then’, encapsulating the frustration.
A fellow user questioned ‘the point’ of the exercise. Red Bull were also criticised for taking ‘photos of a black car in a dark room’.
“You should have waited,” a final fan wrote. “Why post garbage pics? Waste of my time.”
Damon Hill weighs in on Red Bull and Max Verstappen boos at F1 75 season launch
It’s likely that Red Bull were intentionally secretive. They don’t want to give their competitors any advantage if they can avoid it, even if it will only be a matter of hours before they’re at the mercy of the photographers.
Horner’s team are trying to change the narrative ahead of the new season after a difficult night at F1 75. The FIA released a statement calling the boos ‘disappointing’ and ‘tribalist’.
1996 world champion Damon Hill accused the FIA of ‘telling off the crowd’. Viewers are entitled to their opinion, but some felt they showed a lack of respect.
