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Horner reveals Red Bull winter focus behind Verstappen ‘mask

Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull Racing, has shed light on the team’s strategic focus for the upcoming Formula 1 season. Specifically, he addressed the issues related to the RB20 car, which were a key factor in the underperformance of Sergio Perez last season. Perez was ultimately let go after a series of disappointing results, which culminated in Red Bull failing to defend its Constructors’ Championship title. The team had previously dominated the start of the 2024 season, with Max Verstappen winning four out of the first five races, while Perez also contributed strong performances. However, Perez’s form dramatically deteriorated, and he only managed to secure 49 points in the final 18 races, leaving Red Bull third in the standings, trailing McLaren by 77 points.

Horner explained that the RB20 car suffered from a significant issue related to its performance characteristics, which were difficult for Perez to adapt to. He described how the car had a very narrow operating window, which made it challenging to drive consistently, particularly on various circuits and under different conditions. Verstappen, due to his unique driving style and experience, was able to “mask” this issue and extract the maximum performance from the car. However, Perez struggled with this, as the narrow performance window became increasingly problematic as the season progressed.

To address this issue, Red Bull has concentrated its efforts during the winter on improving the car for the 2025 season. Horner mentioned that the team has a much clearer understanding of the development challenges and has focused on ensuring that the new RB21 car offers a more consistent driving experience. The primary goal is not to add more ultimate performance but to expand the operating window of the car, allowing for better adaptability across a variety of circuits and conditions. This change is expected to make the car easier to handle and more competitive, helping drivers maintain better performance throughout the season.

The upgrades that were introduced around Imola during the 2024 season, which made the car’s performance more “peaky,” are part of what led to the difficulties Perez faced. These changes had a narrow performance window, and if the car went beyond that range, it became increasingly difficult to drive. The team is now focused on making the car more forgiving, so it is easier to extract performance in a wider range of conditions.

In addition to this technical focus, Horner also reflected on the broader team dynamics and future goals. The discussions around the team’s development, and specifically how they could address the challenges Perez faced, have been key points of focus for the engineers. The overall aim is to ensure that the 2025 car, the RB21, provides better all-around performance, ensuring that both Verstappen and his teammates can perform optimally at ever

y race.