Team Principal Laurent Mekies shared his thoughts on the development race heating up during the 2026 F1 season, what they intend to accomplish with their substantial upgrades in Austria, and whether Ferrari claiming the victory in the seventh round was surprising after Red Bull secured a haul of 20 points at the Barcelona-Catalunya GP on Sunday.
Following their first major updates of the year at Suzuka, the Milton Keynes outfit managed to halve the RB22’s excess weight with its Miami upgrade package.
While Red Bull continue to chase performance, Technical Director Pierre Waché had previously disclosed that they aim to bring the cars of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar down to the FIA minimum weight at the Austrian GP.
Mekies on what Red Bull hope to achieve with the Austrian GP upgrades
Speaking in a print media session after Sunday’s race, Laurent Mekies reflected on Ferrari making significant performance gains during the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya GP weekend and whether Red Bull can make a similar jump with their forthcoming upgrade package in Austria.
The Frenchman acknowledged that a tight development race will shape the 2026 F1 season and that the performance of teams will swing back and forth depending on the introduction of upgrades.
Noting Ferrari’s triumph at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, Mekies commended the entire Milton Keynes-based squad for the effort they have put into getting the upgrades ready for their home race at the Red Bull Ring. However, he also issued caution that the Austria package alone won’t make them competitive enough to challenge the frontrunners.
At the same time, Mekies highlighted how they have been on an encouraging trajectory of bridging the deficit since the Japanese GP and that they are concentrating their efforts on reducing the gap from four tenths to a lot less.
“Only lap time will answer your questions. So, you’re completely right. The picture of the season is this performance variations based on who is bringing these upgrade.
“Ferrari made a big step forward this weekend. Obviously, our next big one is in Austria.
“But it’s only as good as the real lap time on track it brings. Everyone in Milton Keynes has been working very hard for that package and, you know, there is no doubt that the Austrian package alone will not be enough.
“We know we’ll have some further steps needed, but what is important is that on that continuous closing the gap trajectory that we have been on to since post-Japan, is that we continue to get closer, that we don’t talk anymore about four tenths, but hopefully about less.”
Mekies reveals whether Ferrari’s Barcelona-Catalunya GP victory was surprising
Asked if Ferrari taking a massive step forward and claiming the win at the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya GP had surprised him, Laurent Mekies referred to the huge scale of their upgrade package and congratulated his former team for registering their first victory of the season with Lewis Hamilton.
The Red Bull Team Principal also claimed that the gap separating Mercedes and their immediate rivals was gradually dwindling in the last couple of race weekends. Furthermore, he added that the Italian marque faring well on a circuit like Barcelona, which boasts a wide range of corners, corroborates the efficacy of their upgrades and the superiority of their chassis and power unit.
“Look, it was a very, very large package they presented today. So, you know, well done to them at first for the first win with Lewis [Hamilton].
“The gap was closing up slowly between, I think, Mercedes and the teams chasing Mercedes in the last few races and Ferrari has done a very good step forward with their package.
“And, you know, for them to win a race on a track like Barcelona, it says a lot about the quality of chassis plus PU.”
