Former IndyCar driver James Hinchcliffe has thrown his support behind Red Bull Racing, praising the team’s bold decision to prioritise performance in 2025 despite a difficult start to the current Formula 1 season.
Red Bull Paying Price for 2025 Development Push
Red Bull opted to continue investing heavily in its 2025 car as it attempted to close the gap to McLaren last season. The move nearly paid off, with Max Verstappen missing out on a fifth world title by just two points as Lando Norris secured his maiden championship.
However, team principal Laurent Mekies has admitted the aggressive development strategy has had consequences, with Red Bull enduring a challenging opening phase in 2026.
James Hinchcliffe Calls It the ‘Right Call’
Despite the current struggles, James Hinchcliffe believes the team made the correct decision by pushing for success when the opportunity was still alive.
“I love it,” James Hinchcliffe told the F1 Nation podcast. “It was the right call.
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“With everything changing in 2026, you just have no idea where you’re going to stack up.
“Even if you dedicate all your resources to it – look at Williams as an example.
“But in 2025 they still had a shot. It’s so difficult to have a shot, to be in a position to fight for a championship.
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“If you even have a remote chance to do it, you have to go for it.
“And I love that. Laurent said that was the attitude within the team; nobody wanted to give up, everybody thought it was still possible.
“They came within two points of getting it done. It nearly, really paid off for them, even if you pay a little bit of the price in 2026, there were just so many question marks around it anyway.”
Max Verstappen’s title push had looked unlikely midway through the season, with the Dutch driver trailing by as many as 104 points at one stage. But a strong turnaround in performance brought Red Bull back into contention, ultimately falling just short in the final stretch.
James Hinchcliffe also pointed out that Red Bull’s aggressive approach made the championship battle more exciting for fans.
“I think they did the right thing,” he said. “From our seats, it made the end of 2025 way more exciting.
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“So selfishly, it was good for us and good for the sport. But from a team standpoint, it was the right call, because those opportunities can be fleeting and you’ve got to jump at them when you can.”
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