FIA confirm Red Bull F1 change as extreme conditions hit Saudi Grand Prix

max verstappen, yuki tsunoda, red bull, graphic — Photo: © IMAGO

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FIA confirm Red Bull change as extreme conditions hit Saudi Grand Prix

Red Bull have made changes to contend with the difficult conditions in Saudi Arabia

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 19 April 2025 13:57

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The FIA have confirmed that Red Bull have made changes to their car as hot conditions are expected to impact teams at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

Temperatures will soar into the high 30s during the early evening running at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, with the nighttime sessions dropping in temperature but still remaining around 31/32 degrees Celsius across all three days.

As a result, Red Bull have made changes to their car to contend with the heat, including an enlarged central exit on their engine cover, as a larger topbody rejects the heat needed for cooling.

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The team have also adjusted their beam wing to reduce downforce so that it observes the lift/drag requirements of the circuit, with Jeddah possessing high-speed corners but also long flat-out straights, meaning a balanced set up will be desirable for teams this weekend.

Red Bull have therefore reduced the chord and beam wing in a bid to enhance their performance, as they enter the Saudi GP 80 points behind McLaren in the constructors’ standings.

Can Red Bull bounce back at the Saudi GP?

Max Verstappen and the Milton-Keynes based squad endured a miserable race last time out in Bahrain, with the Dutchman only managing P6 whilst Yuki Tsunoda secured his first points with the team in P9.

Red Bull reportedly held crisis talks after the grand prix, and Helmut Marko expressed his concern that Verstappen would leave Red Bull if the team do not improve quickly.

Despite increased speculation about Verstappen’s future at Red Bull, the Dutchman put on an unflappable front during Thursday’s press conference, where he told Sky Sports’ David Croft to ‘worry about his commentating’ instead of his F1 future.

Ahead of this weekend’s race, team principal Christian Horner seemed confident they have sourced the problem with Red Bull’s pace, but argued that finding a solution would be the more a lot more difficult.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen McLaren FIA Saudi Arabian Grand Prix Jeddah Corniche Circuit