Max Verstappen expressed satisfaction after a solid Red Bull RB21 debut run to cap off the first day of 2025 F1 Bahrain pre-season testing.
The first official day of F1 pre-season testing revealed what the reigning four-time world champion described as “only good surprises,” offering a positive outlook for the team following an up-and-down 2024 campaign.
The Red Bull RB21 debuts as an evolution of last year’s RB20, and the team appears to have addressed key weaknesses while maintaining its core strengths, setting the stage for another competitive season.
Verstappen completed 74 laps during the afternoon session on the opening day of testing, achieving a fastest lap time of 1:30.674. This placed him third overall on the timesheets, just 0.244 seconds behind McLaren’s Lando Norris and slightly behind Mercedes’ George Russell.
READ ALSO: 2025 F1 Bahrain pre-season testing Day 1 Results
Verstappen comments after Red Bull RB21 debut run
Despite not focusing on outright pace, Verstappen’s performance highlighted the car’s potential. He noted that everything felt “in control” and aligned with his driving style, which is a critical factor in extracting maximum performance from any Formula 1 car.
“From the driving I did today everything felt good,” Verstappen told RN365.com after a solid run to cap off the first day of 2025 F1 Bahrain pre-season testing.
“Only good surprises which was good. We don’t know pace yet but everything is working well and the car is doing what I want it to do.
“It is all in control and that is what we can hope for really to start off my testing. We are constantly learning and trying different things and will continue to do so.”
The Red Bull RB21 represents a refined version of its predecessor, featuring minor but significant updates aimed at improving balance and consistency.
READ ALSO: New Red Bull flexi-wing spotted at 2025 F1 Bahrain test
The RB20 was known for its impressive downforce and speed but suffered from a narrow setup window that made it challenging to achieve optimal performance across varying circuits.
The team engineers have worked over the winter to broaden this setup window, enhancing the car’s drivability and adaptability. These changes appear to have paid off, as Verstappen reported that the car is “doing what I want it to do,” a strong endorsement from one of the sport’s most demanding drivers.
Lawson focuses on learning the new car
Verstappen’s teammate for the day, Liam Lawson, also contributed significantly during Red Bull RB21 debut at the Bahrain test. The New Zealander completed 58 laps in the morning session, posting a best time of 1:31.560.
While his time placed him eighth overall, Lawson focused on adapting to his new team and understanding the car rather than chasing lap records. He described his experience as “fun” and noted that testing is as much about learning as it is about performance evaluation.
“I had so much fun out there today and it was so good to finally drive the new car properly and do some laps,” said Lawson.
“It feels okay but obviously it is very early days, so it’s very much about learning at the moment.
“For me, there is a lot more to come because I need to learn a lot moving teams but from a Team side we are just trying to learn about the new car, and optimise these testing days.
“We had a plan of test items, and we managed to go through the whole plan, which is always good.”
“We go into tomorrow with a lot more running and a better idea of where to improve the Red Bull RB21. It’s hard to tell where we are in terms of pace but the car feels good to drive and comfortable.
“Testing is just as important to me, as it is for the Team to learn about the car. It’s crucial to maximise these days before Melbourne.”
Red Bull’s Technical Director Pierre Wache remarked on the team’s highlights at the end of Day 1 of 2025 F1 Bahrain pre-season testing.
“Today was a good working day with both drivers,” he said. “With Liam in the morning, we tried to make some set-up changes to see how the car reacted to it and then in the afternoon when we changed to Max.
“We continued the programme with a different set-up change to see how we can understand the car for the next couple of days of Testing.
“We used two compounds, the C2 and C3, for both drivers, mainly to be able to do a consistent run and not focussed on extracting the most of the lap time but to understand how the car reacts.”
The successful Red Bull RB21 debut marks an important milestone for the Milton Keynes based outfit as they seek to reclaim both drivers’ and constructors’ championships this year.
While Verstappen secured his fourth consecutive drivers’ title last year, McLaren edged out Red Bull for the constructors’ crown. This loss has undoubtedly fueled the team’s determination to return stronger this season.
