While their launch in Detroit went off without a hitch, all eyes are on Red Bull as the 2026 F1 Season looms closer. While many teams are struggling with the new regulations, it’s the former constructors champions who may be sitting near the bottom of the standing come March.
Laurent Mekies, Max Verstappen and former advisor Helmut Marko have all shared their thoughts on the RB22 and how it will fare in 2026.
Mekies Speaks Out On RB22 Struggles
It was Team Principal Laurent Mekies who shared one of the first insights into the development of their 2026 challenger. The Frenchman, who took over as Team Principal for the Milton Keyes outfit last July, has asked fans to bear with them for the first few months.
While 2026 brings a whole new range of regulations, Mekies mentioned the additional challenges the team has faced so far with designing the whole car including the engine. With Red Bull partnering with Ford to develop their own engine, the stakes have never been higher ahead of the first race in March.
“It’s a crazy challenge… and it’s going to be a year full of challenges.”
When asked how the new car would compete against the other top teams, Mekies didn’t sugarcoat it
“I think going into the first year and going to the first race and thinking to be straight away at the level of competition would be naive. We are not naive. We know its going to be a fair amount of struggles”
However, Mekies praised both parties, stating he has full confidence in both the Red Bull and Ford teams to eventually come out on top. Following the launch of the RB22, former Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko, who was ousted from his position in December, spoke out about team’s development.
Marko Making His Bets
Marko echoed Mekies statements about a struggling start to the season for the team. The Austrian believes the new regulations will bring a significant shakeup to the category.
“Last year, the field was closer together than ever, I believe that this will diverge significantly. I hear the gaps will increase significantly”
When asked about who is his pick for the 2026 World Drivers Championship, Marko believed it would be someone who uses a Mercedes engine.
“So it could be Lando Norris again… Williams is also making quite a bit of progress and if George Russell wants to be at the top, he has to implement that now and compete for the World Championship.”
While Verstappen missed out on his fifth drivers championship in Abu Dhabi by two points, Marko is confident the Dutchman will still be challenging at the top of the field in 2026. Meanwhile, Verstappen says it’s a bit too soon to tell ahead of the 2026 F1 Season.
Verstappen Ready For 2026
Verstappen was all smiles at the 2026 Season Launch last Thursday, with the four time world champion later admitting he is unsure of the RB22’s performance ahead of the Australian Grand Prix.
“Honestly, I have no idea, I haven’t even done that many laps in the simulator. So for me, ill just see what happens when I sit in the car”
The former World Champion won’t have to wait too long to find out as the first of three testing sessions starts next week in Barcelona. All 2026 challengers will complete a private shakedown at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya before two testing sessions in Bahrain on the 11th until the 13th and the 18th until the 20th of February respectively.
Feature Image Credit: Red Bull Content Pool