Could Red Bull be sacrificing 2026 developments for Max Verstappen’s shot at his 5th F1 title? Laurent Mekies shares decisive update

Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies admitted that Max Verstappen's P2 in Singapore “means a lot,” a track where the team’s struggles have long been evident. The result marked their third straight podium and confirmed what had been building for weeks.

The turnaround began at Monza, where the team introduced a significant upgrade. The floor surface and outer edge were reprofiled to improve airflow beneath the car, and vertical fences were adjusted for better pressure distribution. It created more localized downforce and helped the RB21 regain grip and stability at high speeds.

The result was a pole-to-flag victory for Max Verstappen at Monza, followed by another at Baku. That renewed form carried through to Singapore, where the team brought a new rear wing to refine its downforce balance. It was crucial in stabilizing front-end grip through the slow corners that have historically exposed the car’s balance issues.

On a tight, high-downforce circuit where Red Bull had suffered before, Verstappen qualified second with a 1:29.340, only 0.182s off George Russell’s pole lap and ahead of both McLarens, with Oscar Piastri third and Lando Norris fifth.

After the race, Mekies reflected on the progress.

"Being able to fight for the win here, it means a lot. After Monza, Baku, it was very different. You never know until you are coming. We've been able to be in the right rhythms from Friday. We were in the right rhythm in Qualifying. If you look, we finished a few seconds away from George. This is good news. It means that what we have unlocked is not only low downforce specific," he told F1 after the race.

Mekies added that the team will continue this race-by-race approach through to the end of the 2025 season. Even McLaren team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged that Red Bull had "unlocked performance" in its new package.

Max Verstappen (1) at the 2024 United States Grand Prix. Source: Getty

For a team that traditionally excelled at low-drag circuits like Monza or Baku, performing this strongly at a high-downforce venue was new ground. Verstappen’s earlier wins this year at Suzuka and the low-downforce tracks showed how well Red Bull could manage aerodynamic compromises, but Marina Bay proved that their fixes were now working across the board.

But the progress might come at a price. Red Bull’s push to rescue its 2025 form could jeopardize its long-term preparations for 2026, when F1’s major regulation overhaul arrives with lighter cars, new aerodynamics. With Honda’s exit and the team’s home-grown units, Red Bull Powertrains, resources are being stretched.

Mekies openly admitted as much in his comments to The Race:

"It was and it is very important that we get to understand if the current project has more performance. It’s important we get to the bottom of it, because we will elaborate next year’s project - even if next year’s regulations are completely different - with the same tools and methodology... Of course, it comes at a cost undoubtedly for the ’26 project, but we feel it’s the right trade-off for us, without judging what the other guys are doing."

With most rival teams already focusing on 2026, Red Bull’s ongoing updates may look like a gamble.

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"It’s credit to Max": Mekies praises Max Verstappen’s role in Red Bull’s turnaround

Max Verstappen celebrates after the F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan. Source: Getty

Since the summer break, Max Verstappen has scored 84 points from four podiums compared to George Russell’s 65, Oscar Piastri’s 52, and Lando Norris’s 39. The championship table now shows Piastri leading on 336 points, Norris on 314, and the Dutchman closing in rapidly with 273, with an outside shot at a fifth title.

Laurent Mekies credited the team’s revival to Verstappen’s technical sharpness and feedback loop with engineers at Milton Keynes.

"I think everybody has been working extremely hard in Milton Keynes, from race one to now, and never giving up on trying to unlock the potential of that car. The progress in the last few weeks has been quite spectacular. And it’s credit to everyone back at home that have never given up. It’s credit to Max, that has been, with his sensitivity, pushing us to explore different avenues. And finally, we found an avenue that unlocked a bit of performance," he added post race via F1.

Red Bull’s mix of late-season tracks could suit that approach perfectly. The United States and Brazil will favor high-downforce balance, while Mexico’s low-drag layout could again bring Red Bull into play. Three sprint weekends also offer extra points.

While the Constructors’ Championship is all but secured, the Drivers’ title remains open, and with Max Verstappen back in rhythm, Red Bull’s decision to keep developing may yet prove justified. Whether the cost will come due in 2026 remains to be seen.

Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar