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Max Verstappen looks set to cruise to a fourth consecutive drivers’ title with Red Bull as the dominant team again this year when the curtain rises on Formula One’s longest-ever season in Bahrain.
No matter the outcome of an independent investigation into allegations of controlling behavior by team boss Christian Horner, Red Bull has built a crushing level of momentum and a stunning car that oozed potential in preseason testing.
With stable regulations and no changes to the driver lineups, a year of deja vu appears likely as the F1 circus embarks on a daunting and unprecedented run of 24 race weekends stretching to early December.
Verstappen’s mental strength, the team’s well-oiled winning habit, the design genius of Adrian Newey and an overall sense of ambition and hunger for more success are unlikely to be affected by any leadership change.
After sweeping to a record 21 wins in 22 races last year, with Verstappen claiming a record 19, plus 12 poles and nine fastest laps as he accumulated a staggering total of 575 points, Red Bull has every reason to believe it can stay on top.
In such a demanding calendar, much will depend on the form of Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate Sergio Perez, who won twice last year before fading, if the team hopes for a clean sweep this time.
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After his imperious form in 2023, the 26-year-old Dutchman has every reason to begin this year with swagger, but he will need help from the Mexican for the team to smash all their own records in an invincible season.
All of Red Bull’s rival teams have improved their cars, as seen in preseason testing, but none arrived to shine last week with as many updates and revisions as those seen in Red Bull’s RB20, a car that marks the team’s 20th birthday.
It’s a team that operates at its best when they are winning,” said former Red Bull race winner Daniel Ricciardo, who remains this year with the re-named Red Bull junior team, RB, having shrugged off the Alpha Tauri label.
“When they’re winning, it’s like they just want to crush the competition completely. It’s not like ‘OK, now we’re winning, let’s go on holiday.’ It’s like ‘let’s really put our feet down.”
Ferrari, entering a second season under the guidance of Frederic Vasseur as team principal, who has recruited seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton to replace Carlos Sainz in 2025, will be aiming to improve on its one triumph last year.
The Italian outfit believes it has a more reliable car that will transfer qualifying speed into race performance, but as Charles Leclerc admitted after he topped the times on the final day of testing, the team has some way to go to catch the runaway Red Bulls.
Hamilton’s Mercedes team has also improved the car and both he and teammate George Russell declared it as more “driveable” and comfortable.
“It’s not the ‘diva’ that it has been for the last two years,” he said.
McLaren, similarly, made optimistic noises after testing, but according to Lando Norris the car remains significantly adrift of Red Bull and Ferrari.
Among the chasing pack of the top teams, Aston Martin has no great hopes.
“I don’t have a crystal ball,” said two-time champion Fernando Alonso, 42.
“But Max is world champion and Red Bull are dominating. I think 19 drivers in the paddock now think they won’t win. It happens that way for 99% of your career. It’s a brutal sport.”
