Verstappen and Red Bull “Not Fast Enough” Against Norris

Despite a generally competitive showing, Verstappen admitted after Friday practice that he and his team were “not fast enough” compared to Norris, underlining that significant work remains to be done overnight if Red Bull are to fight for pole position and the win.

Norris sets the pace as McLaren starts strong

Both free practice sessions at Yas Marina confirmed the strong form McLaren has shown throughout the latter part of the season. Lando Norris topped the timesheets on Friday, finishing ahead of Verstappen and reinforcing the impression that the orange cars are particularly comfortable on the smooth, low‑degradation surface of Abu Dhabi.

On short‑run pace, Norris appeared to have a small but clear edge. His best laps were not only quicker in outright time, but also looked more stable in the technical final sector, where traction and rear stability are crucial. This is precisely where Verstappen and Red Bull seemed to be losing most of their time.

Verstappen’s verdict: “We’re not fast enough right now”

Speaking after the session, Verstappen did not hide his concerns. The three‑time world champion highlighted that while the car was not fundamentally unbalanced, it lacked the sharpness and grip needed to fully exploit the soft tyres over one lap.

In a field where margins are often measured in hundredths of a second, this deficit is enough to swing the advantage towards McLaren, especially on a circuit where track position remains critical despite the two long DRS zones.

Short‑run versus long‑run: a more nuanced picture

While the headline times from Friday point to McLaren supremacy, the longer runs painted a more nuanced picture. Over race‑simulation stints, Red Bull’s pace appeared more competitive, with Verstappen able to maintain consistent lap times and manage tyre degradation effectively.

However, the Dutchman himself acknowledged that relying solely on race pace would be risky. With McLaren also showing solid long‑run performance, starting behind Norris could force Red Bull into a reactive strategy.

Where Red Bull are losing out to McLaren

The analysis of sector times and driver feedback points to several key areas where Red Bull are currently trailing:

• Low‑speed traction: In the final sector, the McLaren appears more planted on corner exit. Verstappen has indicated that the rear of the car is moving more than he would like.
• Single‑lap tyre exploitation: McLaren seem to be bringing the tyres into their optimal window more quickly on the first timed lap.
• High‑speed balance trade‑offs: To stabilise the rear in slow corners, Red Bull may be forced into set‑up compromises that affect behaviour in medium‑ and high‑speed sections.

Overnight work: where Red Bull can still improve

Despite his frank assessment, Verstappen did not sound defeatist. The main areas of focus for the engineers overnight are likely to include:

• Fine‑tuning mechanical balance to give Verstappen more confidence on corner entry and exit.
• Optimising ride height and aero balance to improve stability without sacrificing top speed.
• Refining tyre preparation on the out‑lap.
• Exploring set‑up variations between the two cars to accelerate learning.

Conclusion: Red Bull on the back foot

The first day of the 2025 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix has clearly tilted in McLaren’s favour. However, the story of a Grand Prix weekend is rarely written on Friday alone. Red Bull’s long‑run pace, combined with their proven ability to improve the car overnight, means that Verstappen remains very much in the fight.

With Verstappen openly admitting that they are “not fast enough” yet, the pressure is firmly on the reigning champions to respond – and to prove once again why they have set the standard in Formula 1 in recent years.