Laurent Mekies, Red Bull team principal, said Red Bull is paying the price for prioritising its 2025 title bid with Max Verstappen after diverting resources from the 2026 challenger.
The team continued developing the RB21 into late 2025, bringing upgrades as late as the Mexican Grand Prix while budget-cap rules and Aerodynamic Testing Restrictions limited wind-tunnel and CFD testing. Consequently the RB22 has been the fourth-quickest car early in 2026, behind Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren, and was outqualified by Pierre Gasly’s Alpine in China and Japan.
On the Beyond The Grid podcast, Mekies said the late push cost time and energy but argued the decision was right and will not be used as an excuse. He added that last year’s turnaround, including Max Verstappen’s six wins in the final nine grands prix, boosted team morale and the team aims to understand RB22’s limitations and improve.
Read the full article at motorsport.com.
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