Red Bull technical director explains why “I'm not confident for '25”
“I'm not confident because I think the others are very quick"
Red Bull’s technical director is “not confident” for next season - but insists his attitude will benefit the team.
Max Verstappen wrapped up his fourth F1 drivers’ championship in a row but Red Bull have come under huge pressure from McLaren this season, the dominance of last year vanishing.
McLaren and Ferrari have overhauled Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.
Ultimately, Red Bull’s strong start to 2024 was key to Verstappen withstanding Lando Norris’ challenge to win the drivers’ title.
Technical director Pierre Wache told Autosport about the recent improvement to the RB20: “I think we are happy with what we have done quickly.
But Wache said: “I'm not confident for '25.
“I'm not confident because I think the others are very quick or are there. It will be a fight for the full year.”
The man in charge of developing Red Bull’s 2025 car - who will have extra scrutiny on him due to Adrian Newey’s exit - believes his mentality will serve the team well.
“If you have confidence in this business, you are dead,” he said.
“You have to work hard, and everybody has to, in the team, work hard. Everybody's working hard.
“When you see the number of people we have trying to find a very small amount of performance and add and add and add everywhere, it is a very difficult task.
“I have a lack of confidence, because if I have confidence, you go to sleep, you don't go to work, and then you don't find performance.”
Verstappen endured a shock 10-race winless run as Norris threatened to pip him to the title.
But Wache now knows the moment that they understood the RB20’s issues.
“I think clearly Monza was a key point and a wake-up point on our side,” he said.
“It highlighted some issue on the car that we didn't see before... or we saw, but we suspected and guessed.”
Next year, McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes will hope to test Red Bull’s resolve.
Newey, meanwhile, will begin work at Aston Martin whose longer-term goal is to develop the best car for the 2026 rules.
James was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from American sports, to football, to F1.
