Red Bull and Verstappen in title battle with McLaren: "This has a cost for the 2026 project"

At the start of the season, after a handful of Grand Prix races, it already seemed clear that McLaren was heading towards an inexorable double in F1. Having won the Constructors' Championship in Singapore, the British have followed the path laid out for them in this regard. Unstoppable against competitors whose results were inconsistent, Oscar piastri et Lando Norris could nevertheless see the return of Max Verstappen remain a real threat at this stage of the season. Beaten, the team Red Bull does not seem to have said its last word.

Winner at Monza, winner in Baku, second in Singapore, Max Verstappen is indeed back to the standards to which he has accustomed Formula 1 fans in recent years. Clinical, and able to rediscover his sensations behind the wheel of an RB21 that was in bad shape in the summer, the Dutchman seems to be benefiting above all from the upgrades introduced in Italy, in particular, at the start of the school year.

Indeed, Red Bull had not failed to announce the introduction of a brand new flat floor at Monza at the start of the weekend. Thus, completely unexpectedly for him and his team, the four-time world champion came to achieve one of the most impressive meetings of the season, relegating the two McLaren cars to almost 20 seconds behind him.

Mekies confirms Red Bull's return to the game

In comments relayed by The Race, Laurent Mekies, Red Bull's new Team Principal since the ousting of Christian Horner this summer, confirms that the team's strategy is precisely converging towards this effort made before the change in technical regulations. "It was and is very important that we understand whether the project [of the car [from 2025] has more performance, explained the Frenchman. It is important to get to the bottom of things. Because we will develop next year's project – even if the regulations will be radically different – ​​with the same tools and the same methodology."

Expanding on his understanding of the situation, Laurent Mekies sees this continued development of the RB21 as a double opportunity. In addition to seeing Max Verstappen once again fight for the top spots in the short term, allowing Red Bull to hope for another title for its champion, such work could also ensure that the team doesn't have to start from scratch in the coming months. "It is essential to validate, with this year's car, the accuracy of our data analysis and our development, developed the former Racing Bulls director. Understanding the changes that led to this level of development will give us confidence for next winter.”

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The other side of the coin?

While understanding is indeed at the heart of the work carried out by each of the teams at the end of the season, Red Bull seems to be betting on a bold gamble. Like Mercedes, making progress without understanding the exact reasons for this rise, Milton Keynes is moving forward without ignoring the risks of this decision. “Of course, this has a cost for the 2026 project, tempered Laurent Mekies. But we think it's the right compromise for us, without judging others."

Where many stables maintain hope for 2026, and this on different scales, likeAlpine, Williams, or more recently Ferrari, Red Bull is banking on audacity. That of playing on two tables, as the Team for a few months. However, the arrival of Laurent Mekies seems to coincide with a clarification of the 2025 project. It now remains to be seen whether the fall will be even greater from the start of the next school year. With the development of the Red Bull Powertrains engine in close collaboration with Ford, the Milton Keynes team will in any case have a tough task to maintain its position among the top teams.