Red Bull says the RB21 is maturing — but one or two surprises may come
Max Verstappen during FP2 at the Mexico City Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures
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A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.
Red Bull Racing’s Chief Engineer Paul Monaghan has suggested that while the team’s 2025 car has reached a mature stage in its development, there may still be “one or two tiny things” left to introduce before the season ends.
Never say never. But there might be one or two tiny things that we can do if we find that we can accommodate.- Paul Monaghan
While other teams made the early call to switch full focus onto the 2026 season, Red Bull are still very much concentrating on making the best out of their current season, bringing updates consistently onto the car, which debuted a new floor, among other things during Friday's action in Mexico.
“Never say never. But there might be one or two tiny things that we can do if we find that we can accommodate,” Monaghan said when asked whether any incremental updates could appear in the final four races. “But they'll be of that [incremental] nature from this point.”
Monaghan explained that the team’s recent progress reflects a deeper refinement process rather than sweeping changes, pointing to the evolving interplay between the factory and track operations.
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Max Verstappen during FP2 at the Mexico City Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures
He continued: “The set-up is evolving much like the car, and the set-up is perhaps more easily tunable in the short term,” he noted. “The set-up has gone in the direction that the bodywork, geometry and the aerodynamic result suggested it should. And, yeah, we're enjoying the benefits of that.”
He also highlighted how Red Bull’s understanding of the RB21 has grown throughout the campaign, allowing the team to extract more consistent performance from its intricate aerodynamic platform.
“Previously, if you came back to say, I don't know, first three or four races of the year, we probably couldn't have the car as we do now,” Monaghan added. “These cars are of such complexity now, and they're such refined aerodynamic devices, that if you get it wrong, you really do get it wrong. It all has to come together.
Arvid Lindblad driving during FP1 at the Mexico City Grand Prix - Photo: Race Pictures
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"It's not going to be one item, as I said earlier. All of it merges, but when we get it right, we can enjoy the kind of performance that we've had over the last few races," he concluded.
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