Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies is not worried about the large gap to Mercedes, as the development race promises to be intense throughout the 2026 season.
Red Bull, Mekies rallies the team
Last winter, Red Bull’s biggest concern was their power unit. In 2026, the team introduced its first engine built entirely in the Milton Keynes Powertrains division, and a deficit in power compared to Mercedes and Ferrari was expected. However, the start of the season revealed that Red Bull must close a gap in almost every area, including the chassis, which had once been its main strength.
After the first two race weekends, the RB22 ranks as the fourth fastest car in terms of overall performance. The car first needs to shed weight—reports suggest a significant 20 kg reduction—before improvements from development can take effect. The deficit is significant not only compared to Mercedes but also to Ferrari. Still, team principal Laurent Mekies remains confident.
Mekies’ comments
“I’m not sure if ‘worrying’ is the right adjective to define the gap. It is certainly large, but it didn’t surprise us. We expected Mercedes to be very strong, even if it wasn’t clearly visible in testing,” Mekies explained. “The season is very long, and we believe the development race will be much more intense than in the past.”
“Of course, Mercedes will also improve, so it will always be difficult to make up a second,” he added, referring to Max Verstappen’s gap to Kimi Antonelli in the Shanghai qualifying session. “But here, no one gives up. This is the battle that we’re all committed to.”
Red Bull is entering a critical phase of self-assessment and rapid engineering. Based on the content of Laurent Mekies’ recent statements, the focus in the factory has shifted from engine anxiety to an all-out effort to optimize the RB22’s weight and aerodynamic efficiency before the gap to the leaders becomes insurmountable.
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