Red Bull closes gap to Mercedes as Verstappen wins in 2026

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has praised his team for cutting more than a second from its lap time deficit to Mercedes since the start of the 2026 Formula 1 season. Red Bull began the new regulation cycle on the back foot, with an overweight car and reliability problems, and did not record a top-three finish in the opening four rounds.

Red Bull's first win came at the Malaysian Grand Prix, the 16th round of the season, where Max Verstappen mastered changing conditions. Verstappen has since added victories in Singapore and Mexico and moved up to second in the Drivers' Championship, with the most points of any driver over the period since the summer break.

Mekies said the improvement reflected work across all departments, adding that it was impossible to pinpoint a single area responsible. Mercedes won the constructors' and drivers' titles, and Mekies described Red Bull's recovery as "equally as impressive".