Lando Norris
McLaren
Mercedes
Red Bull
Ferrari
Williams
Racing Bulls
Aston Martin
Haas
Alpine
Laurent Mekies has revealed that “everyone” at Red Bull has conceded that their new updates for the RB22 coming at the 2026 F1 Austrian Grand Prix will “not be enough”.
The Formula 1 paddock heads to Red Bull’s literal home race next time out on June 26-28 for round eight of the 2026 campaign. But Mekies is not too optimistic about the chances of the Red Bull Ring witnessing a great week on home tarmac for Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar.
Verstappen has enjoyed some fantastic performances at the Red Bull Ring in recent years as the record four-time Austrian GP winner and 2021 Styrian GP victor. He might need an awful lot of luck in 2026, though, as Red Bull have only built the fourth-best car to this year’s rules.
How much are Red Bull MISSING Adrian Newey right now?
Laurent Mekies knows Red Bull’s 2026 Austrian Grand Prix upgrades are ‘not enough’
A lack of balance and grip has plagued Red Bull regularly over the early rounds of the 2026 season, despite the team appearing to get on top of their problems when Verstappen sealed P3 in the Canadian GP. Verstappen even qualified P2 for the Miami and Monaco Grands Prix.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Red Bull team principal and CEO Laurent Mekies
Red Bull have their second major update package of the season coming next time out at the Austrian GP, which they will hope will fix some of their issues. Yet team principal Mekies has admitted that Red Bull already concede that their upgrades in Austria “will not be enough”.
“The picture of the season is these performance variations [are] based on who is bringing an upgrade,” Mekies said, via quotes by RacingNews365. “Ferrari made a big step forward.
“Obviously, our next big one is in Austria, but it is only as good as the real lap time it brings on track. Everyone in Milton Keynes has been working very hard on that package, and there is no doubt that the Austrian upgrade alone will not be enough.
“We know we’ll need some further steps. But what is important is that we stay on this continuous, closing-the-gap trajectory that we have been on since post-Japan.
“We need to continue to get closer so that we don’t talk anymore about four tenths, but hopefully about less.”
You’re in charge of a Red Bull rival, how much would you offer Max Verstappen for 2027?
Ralf Schumacher claims Mercedes' offer is "so bad" financially
Red Bull introduced their first major upgrade package for the RB22 at the Miami Grand Prix in May, which laid the foundations for Verstappen to qualify P2 at Hard Rock Stadium. They introduced a new front wing, wheel ducts, sidepods, floor and engine cover in one update.
Yet the updates that their rivals also unveiled in Miami and over the subsequent races, with Mercedes revealing their hand in Canada and Ferrari debuting more upgrades in Barcelona, cut Red Bull adrift from the podium. And the rostrum at the Red Bull Ring might be unlikely.
Verstappen may have finished fourth in the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix after Mercedes’ Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc retired from the race. But the Dutchman hit the chequered flag 16.778s behind McLaren’s Lando Norris in the final podium position.
Receive exclusive F1 news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
