diff --git a/config/jobs/kubernetes/release/release-config.yaml b/config/jobs/kubernetes/release/release-config.yaml
index 2244635e4b59..3c1fdda66729 100644
--- a/config/jobs/kubernetes/release/release-config.yaml
+++ b/config/jobs/kubernetes/release/release-config.yaml
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ presubmits:
     cluster: eks-prow-build-cluster
     spec:
       containers:
-      - image: gcr.io/k8s-staging-releng/releng-ci:latest-go1.20-bookworm
+      - image: gcr.io/k8s-staging-releng/releng-ci:latest-go1.21-bookworm
         imagePullPolicy: Always
         command:
         - make
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ presubmits:
     path_alias: k8s.io/release
     spec:
       containers:
-      - image: gcr.io/k8s-staging-releng/releng-ci:latest-go1.20-bookworm
+      - image: gcr.io/k8s-staging-releng/releng-ci:latest-go1.21-bookworm
         imagePullPolicy: Always
         command:
         - make
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ presubmits:
     path_alias: k8s.io/release
     spec:
       containers:
-      - image: gcr.io/k8s-staging-releng/releng-ci:latest-go1.20-bookworm
+      - image: gcr.io/k8s-staging-releng/releng-ci:latest-go1.21-bookworm
         imagePullPolicy: Always
         command:
         - make
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ presubmits:
     cluster: eks-prow-build-cluster
     spec:
       containers:
-      - image: gcr.io/k8s-staging-releng/releng-ci:latest-go1.20-bookworm
+      - image: gcr.io/k8s-staging-releng/releng-ci:latest-go1.21-bookworm
         imagePullPolicy: Always
         command:
         - make