Conclusions have been reached after three days of testing in Bahrain but each team now has a small window to make any last-minute changes before the Australian Grand Prix.
While the data gathered during pre-season testing is unlikely to see Sauber suddenly surge to the front of the grid, the difference between the teams challenging for victories and in the midfield is extremely close.
McLaren appear to be the frontrunners at this early stage of the season after Lando Norris showed off some very impressive long-run pace.
However, there were still a few signs of some instability with McLaren’s rear end during their qualifying runs.
Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari are all battling to be the best of the rest behind the papaya team, but there isn’t a clear standout between that trio.
Liam Lawson didn’t look happy after the first day of testing while Max Verstappen span during one of his runs last Friday.
New Ferrari star Lewis Hamilton had to cut his final session short due to some unforeseen issues, while George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli looked surprisingly solid for Mercedes.
A report from Motorsport has shared more details about the feelings towards the RB21 within the paddock after 24 hours of testing in Bahrain.
It’s safe to say that the car elicited a mixed reaction which isn’t what Verstappen will want to hear as he attempts to add to Red Bull’s tally of 122 wins in Formula 1.
Some paddock insiders reacted ‘very negatively’ to Red Bull’s 2025 F1 car during testing
Red Bull’s 2025 car on the surface looks very similar to last year’s machine, but there are plenty of hidden changes that team principal Christian Horner will hope make the car much quicker and more stable.
While Verstappen is able to deal with the volatility to an extent, Sergio Perez couldn’t handle the RB20 last year and the points deficit was enough to force the team into a driver change over the winter.
During the final day of running in Bahrain, Red Bull added several new parts to the car, including a new front wing and a new floor.
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However, the floor was removed after just a few laps due to Verstappen’s feedback and although the change in the front wing didn’t provide an obvious best option, the data will be useful heading to Australia.
The report went on to say that some paddock insiders judged the car ‘very negatively’ after watching it on track.
However, disregarding Verstappen and Red Bull at this stage of the season would be a mistake.
It would be a surprise if the four-time world champion wasn’t challenging for pole position next weekend and at the subsequent races in China and Japan.
Max Verstappen has full control over his F1 future with pressure on Red Bull to perform
There are very few drivers on the grid with more certainty surrounding their futures than Verstappen.
His contract runs until the end of the 2028 season and Horner wouldn’t hesitate to extend it if he asked for a new deal today.
However, Verstappen has break clauses in his agreement that would allow him to join a rival team – or walk away from Formula 1 altogether – before his deal concludes.
READ MORE: Red Bull driver Max Verstappen’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend
Aston Martin would love to sign Verstappen and Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has never hidden with admiration for the 27-year-old after missing out on bringing him into their academy as a youngster.
Switching teams ahead of the 2026 regulation changes would make little sense for the Dutchman, giving Red Bull a year’s grace to sort things out if this year’s car isn’t up to scratch.
However, the landscape could change a lot in the next 12 months and if he feels his best chance of winning a championship lies elsewhere, then he could create a similar seismic shift in the driver’s market to Hamilton’s move to Ferrari last year.
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