By Joe Man
The End of an Era for Red Bull
2025 has not started well for Red Bull, and unsurprisingly, even they saw this coming.
Like an ageing tree in the wind, the internal rot is beginning to show, and before long, it will come crashing down. We all witnessed the first signs of the downfall in 2024. Slowly but surely, their once all-conquering car began to fail. Only in the hands of Max Verstappen, a true genius, could it still perform at the highest level.
Sergio Pérez gradually lost both confidence and the ability to drive the car, becoming one of the slowest drivers on the grid. People started asking the question: Had Sergio simply lost his pace? After all, he had been part of the championship-winning team for the previous three years.
Fast forward to 2025, and Pérez has fallen on his sword, replaced by the determined Kiwi, Liam Lawson. However, the problem persists. A new driver doesn’t yield the same results; in fact, things are even worse. The demise of drivers like Gasly, Albon, Pérez, and soon Lawson, all suggests there’s a major issue with the car itself.
For some reason, Max can still drive it to incredible levels, winning titles and breaking records. But now, we’re starting to see Max himself struggle with issues. Mistakes are creeping into his driving that we’ve never seen before. In Shanghai, for example, he lost positions at the start when the car simply wouldn’t do what he asked of it.
So far, Max has remained calm, exuding a higher level of maturity. In his interview with Sky Sports, he offered insight into his mindset: “I’m enjoying life. Every time I jump in the car, I do the best I can and I’m not thinking about anything else. I feel good in life in general, whether in or out of the car, and that’s what matters most.”
But deep down, Max must be concerned. Unless he’s aware of a game-changing update, he must surely see the writing on the wall.
The situation is so dire that his new teammate, Liam Lawson, seems unable to drive the car at all. This leaves Red Bull with little chance in the Constructors’ Championship, and they appear to have no clear path to fixing it.
Yuki Tsunoda, who was unfairly passed over for Pérez’s seat last year, still believes he can be quick in a Red Bull. It’s hard not to wonder if Tsunoda and Hadjar might be better off at Racing Bulls at this point.
The scandals of 2024 have significantly hurt Red Bull. They lost their engineering mastermind, Adrian Newey, to Aston Martin, along with other key personnel to rival teams. The combination of Christian Horner, Helmut Marko, and the influence of the Verstappen family has created what must be an incredibly toxic atmosphere within the team.
Horner’s reputation has been severely tainted by the scandals of last year, and he came off poorly in the latest season of Drive to Survive. He now appears manipulative, calculating, and untrustworthy. Meanwhile, Helmut Marko, who oversees their young driver programme, operates like an old-school tradesman, treating his apprentices with harshness to “toughen them up.” This approach simply doesn’t work in today’s world. It was painfully evident in Melbourne that rookie Liam Lawson looked incredibly nervous, no doubt feeling the weight of Marko’s constant threats: perform or you’re out. This is no way to get the best out of anyone.
All of Max’s previous teammates have faced similar fates: stripped of their confidence, only to regain it when they join other teams.
Jos Verstappen has often been at odds with Horner, and it’s clear that tension still exists. Red Bull is running out of time to keep Max, with Mercedes, Aston Martin, and others lurking in the background.
If they lose Max, it’s game over. Suddenly, they would have two drivers struggling to drive the car, a young driver programme filled with scared kids afraid of failure, and a new set of regulations on the horizon.
Until next time, Red Bull. Bye-bye.
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