The 2025 season has been nothing short of a rollercoaster for the Racing Bulls F1 team. Once known as AlphaTauri, the squad was officially rebranded as Racing Bulls this year, positioning itself as not just a junior outfit but a worthy sister team to Red Bull Racing.
Strong Showing Amidst Parent Team’s Woes
With its VCARB 02 chassis and Honda RBPT engine, Racing Bulls hit a “sweet spot” this season—delivering consistent performance even as Red Bull Racing struggled to find balance.
Rookie standout Isack Hadjar has played a crucial role. At just 20 years old, he’s amassed solid points—including a commendable 6th in Monaco—and currently ranks as the second-highest-scoring rookie of the season.
It’s not just Hadjar: the team continues to punch above its weight and consistently add to its tally from the previous 2024 season, thanks to strong contributions from both drivers.
Lawson’s Redemption Arc
The season began fractiously for Liam Lawson: after just two rounds with Red Bull Racing, he was demoted back to Racing Bulls. The switch—made earlier than expected—left many questioning the decision-making process.
But Lawson’s return to the team gradually turned into a redemption story. At the Monaco Grand Prix, strategic execution under pressure allowed him to clinch his first points of the season with an 8th-place finish, as he expertly supported Hadjar before launching his own charge.
The momentum continued into Belgium, where a near-perfect race strategy—switching from intermediates to dry tyres at just the right moment—earned Lawson another points haul and plaudits from team principal Alan Permane.
Looking ahead, Lawson admits that improving his qualifying pace is now a key focus for the second half of the season—a factor he credits for turning strong weekends into point-scoring ones.
Shifting Leadership and Team Resilience
Leadership changes have added another layer to the season’s narrative. After Christian Horner’s abrupt exit from Red Bull in July, Laurent Mekies was promoted to lead Red Bull Racing, and Alan Permane stepped up as Racing Bulls’ team principal.
Hadjar welcomed the move, noting that Mekies’ guidance could prove beneficial for his own career aspirations—without impacting his current performance focus.
Controversy and the Strategic Advantage Debate
The season hasn’t been without its controversy. Following Monaco, Lawson defended the team’s tactics amid scrutiny, stating unequivocally that “our actions were fully legal”.
More broadly, analysts have begun to question whether Red Bull is leveraging its unique driver-development pipeline effectively—particularly after Lawson’s abrupt demotion. This switch raised eyebrows about the efficiency and consistency of their evaluation processes, sparking debate over whether they’re truly capitalizing on having two connected teams.
Closing Thoughts
In many ways, Racing Bulls exemplify resilience and strategic clarity. They’ve managed to fortify their season with smart dials and solid driving—particularly from Hadjar and Lawson—amid leadership changes and controversy. The second half of the season stands as a critical test: can this momentum hold? And can Lawson’s qualifying improvements help propel the team further?
Only time will tell—but for now, Racing Bulls are proving they belong in F1’s midfield fight.
