Red Bull are staring down the barrel at a complete rebuild of their Formula 1 team after hitting some turbulent times and losing their form on track.
It’s pretty clear at this point that the Milton Keynes-based outfit have transformed into being a one-trick pony. Their hopes lie completely with Max Verstappen.
It would be a safe bet to say that Red Bull are already out of the running for the constructors’ championship in 2025 after just two races.
The upcoming Japanese Grand Prix will play host to Yuki Tsunoda’s debut for the team, with the 24-year-old receiving a promotion despite a winter snub.
Verstappen has left Dutch media ‘flabbergasted’ with Red Bull comments by remaining quiet about the team’s woes.
Tsunoda’s Red Bull ‘priority’ in Japan is to understand his new car. He must get off to a fast start if he wants to remain in the car all season.
READ MORE: Yuki Tsunoda has already proven Helmut Marko wrong after doing one thing in the Red Bull simulator
Red Bull will be in ‘true rot’ if Paul Monaghan decides to leave the team
While Verstappen sits second in the drivers’ championship in pursuit of a fifth consecutive crown, things appear to be manageable.
However, the team’s pace at the Chinese Grand Prix was woeful. They have to make some improvements soon.
Dutch journalist Nelson Valkenberg fears that by changing drivers from Liam Lawson to Tsunoda, the team are hiding the real problem. One departure may leave them very vulnerable.
“This decision for a driver change is just papering over the cracks again. It’s just not allowing you to say, ‘OK, we built a difficult car’. It’s the driver’s fault so he has to go,” he said.
“It leaves them in an interesting position and indeed the team still functions very well on track and the way they execute at least on the side of Verstappen’s garage. Because last year in Perez’s case, there were a few iffy moments.
“We’ve lost Wheatley at Red Bull, I think the one who is holding that up right now is Paul Monaghan within trackside operations. If he goes, if he’s unhappy then that’s a true rot.”
READ MORE: Helmut Marko explains Max Verstappen’s immediate reaction to Red Bull dropping Liam Lawson, ‘he did express…’
What is Red Bull’s best policy for Max Verstappen’s fifth F1 title hunt?
The best-case scenario for Red Bull currently is to lean on Verstappen’s talents and hope that he performs a miracle in 2025.
They cannot take their focus off the 2026 F1 regulations as it could cost them a lot more in the long run, and there is little to be gained in investing in this year’s RB21.
Wrong decisions regarding car development and direction were made a long time ago and it’s probably too late to rectify them now.
Upgrades could still be introduced throughout the season, but fans shouldn’t expect anything major from them.
This could finally be the year that a McLaren, Ferrari or Mercedes driver returns to the top and lifts the world championship.
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