Red Bull tests new developments on the RB21 during the Bahrain trials
Red Bull wastes no time during the Bahrain tests: with a shortened nose and a reworked front wing, the team explores new avenues to maximize the performance of the RB21. The goal? To test crucial aerodynamic developments before the start of the 2025 season.
Third day of testing in Bahrain, and Red Bull isn’t wasting any time! The Austrian team has already rolled out some upgrades on the RB21 to test different configurations before the season starts. Objective: better understand the data accumulated over the first two days and fine-tune the beast. The first major modification? A new nose and a revised front wing, which naturally impact the car’s overall behavior. As often with Red Bull, it’s a surgical job.
📸 Nouvelles pièces: aileron avant et capot moteur sur la RB21. #Red Bull pic.twitter.com/aTnc1oW5gF
— F1anso (@SMV_Racing) February 28, 2025
A shorter nose… but not unknown!
First visible change on this RB21: the shortened nose. It no longer rests on the main wing but on the second element. A solution reminiscent of Red Bull’s past configurations, notably the RB19. Small detail to note: the nose tip now has a rounder and more recessed shape, with a more bulbous profile that narrows in the middle before widening again.
A design that is anything but trivial and could impact the overall aerodynamics of the single-seater. But with a shorter nose, goodbye to continuity with the front wing! To compensate, the team added a pair of separation supports between the first two flaps to ensure good structural rigidity.
Inevitably, a new nose means a revised front wing. Red Bull has reduced the size of the static sections next to the nose, allowing the adjustable parts of the upper flaps to maintain their efficiency. And here, a hot topic comes into play: flexibility.
The Milton Keynes team has often exploited the gray areas of the regulations on this point, and again this year, it is looking to maximize the leeway before new stricter tests are applied after the first eight races. In fact, it is very likely that Red Bull will invest a significant portion of its development budget on this wing throughout the season. A strategy that has often paid off in the past.
Precision work right down to the end plate.
Another interesting detail: the endplate of the front wing has also undergone a makeover. Red Bull has revised the design of the third flap, which twists on itself to form a fin. The objective? To modify the management of airflows at this strategic location and better control the formation of water spray. A crucial element, especially on wet tracks.
These developments are likely just the beginning: other new parts should appear throughout the day and until the end of testing.
