As Formula 1 heads into 2025, Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner is gearing up for what he anticipates will be one of the most exciting and competitive seasons in recent memory.
In a banner year for the sport, Grand Prix racing's 2024 campaign rewarded four teams and seven drivers, with fans often on the edge of their seats as unexpected winners emerged, rivalries intensified, and the championship fight remained unpredictable until late in the season.
While Red Bull secured Max Verstappen's fourth Drivers' title, the team itself slipped to third in F1's Constructors' standings behind McLaren and Ferrari.
But Horner is bracing for another intense battle among the sport's top teams.
“Everything indicates that 2025 will be a fantastic season,” Horner said, reported by Speedweek.
“If you look at how high the level of performance is, especially among the four teams that were able to fight at the top, then you can expect a thriller.”
Horner's comments come after a transformative 2024 season in which Red Bull, McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes all emerged as race-winning contenders.
While Verstappen's dominance early in the season helped secure his individual title, Red Bull faced stiff competition as the year progressed.
McLaren ultimately clinched the Constructors' Championship, with Ferrari close behind, leaving Red Bull to settle for third.
Looking ahead, Horner expects the competition to intensify even further, especially as teams use the winter break to refine their cars for the upcoming 24-race season.
“It will also be a very long season, and I am excited to see what progress the teams will make during the winter break,” Horner said, emphasizing the importance of preparation before the regulatory changes of 2026 come into play.
The upcoming 2026 season will introduce what Horner described as “probably the biggest rule change in 50 or 60 years.”
With such significant changes on the horizon, teams face a critical challenge: balancing their focus between the current season and the development of cars for the new regulations.
“The fact that a rule revolution is planned for 2026 makes the teams' work more difficult,” Horner explained.
This balancing act is further complicated by Formula 1's aerodynamic testing restrictions, which allocate wind-tunnel time based on teams' finishing positions in the Constructors' standings.
As third-place finishers in 2024, Red Bull will have more wind-tunnel time than McLaren and Ferrari, an advantage Horner plans to leverage.
“This is probably the biggest rule change in 50 or 60 years,” the Red Bull chief added. “In that sense, the additional wind tunnel work that we can do as third-placed is an advantage.”
The transition to new regulations presents teams with a unique dilemma. Invest too much in developing their current car, and they risk falling behind when the 2026 rules come into effect.
But neglecting the 2025 season could mean losing out on critical momentum.
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“Teams have to constantly weigh up how they want to distribute their resources,” Horner explained.
“If you are in the fight for the F1 world championship title for a longer period of time, then the further development of the current car also takes longer.
“It's obviously difficult when you have a major rule change ahead of you; I experienced that myself in 2021 and 2022.
“Because of course, the earlier you can start developing, the greater your advantage.
“But if it's a close battle right up to the last round, then the use of resources is a balancing act that's really tricky.”
As F1 heads into its final season under the current regulations, fans can expect fierce competition, strategic intrigue, and a glimpse of the innovations to come.
For Horner and Red Bull, the stakes are as high as ever, but the opportunities are equally exciting.
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