Helmut Marko takes a dig at Toto Wolff while addressing Red Bull's 2026 F1 chances

Red Bull Racing's Helmut Marko has dismissed concerns about the team’s 2026 prospects amid their focus on the 2025 car, noting that Toto Wolff made similar remarks back in 2021. His response came after McLaren boss Andrea Stella suggested that the Austrian might be sacrificing future performance to finish the ongoing season strongly.

Red Bull Racing brought multiple upgrades to their car for the Mexican GP, related to both reliability and performance. The team has continued to develop the RB21 well into the final stages of the season, while competitors like McLaren and Ferrari have already shifted their complete attention to 2026.

This continued improvement in performance is also aiding Max Verstappen's charge for a fifth driver's world title against Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. But some questions have also been raised over the Milton Keynes-based outfit's methods.

While speaking in Mexico City, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella claimed that their rivals may be 'happier to give up' on 2026 a little bit and focus on 2025, also suggesting that Red Bull may already be facing 'other issues' next year.

Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko responded to these suggestions by Stella, while taking a sly dig at Mercedes boss Toto Wolff.

"It was the same story in 2021. Toto was really worried that we wouldn't be competitive in 2022," said Marko [via GPFans].

In 2021, Red Bull continued developing their challenger late into the season, as Max Verstappen fought for his first title against Lewis Hamilton. This did not hinder their 2022 car’s development, as they produced the most dominant package at the start of the ground effect era, winning both titles in 2022 and 2023.

---

Red Bull driver lineup decision delayed, reveals Helmut Marko

Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Helmut Marko has revealed that Red Bull has decided to delay making the call on their driver lineup, with an announcement now expected 'around Abu Dhabi.' The 82-year-old had previously claimed that the team would make the decision post the Mexican GP.

Speaking to Motorsport.com in Mexico, Marko said that the team has decided to push the decision back until the end of the 2025 F1 season.

"We postponed our decision until the end of the season, because first we want to focus on the championship fight," said Marko.

When asked if the announcement will be paid after the end of the 2025 Abu Dhabi GP, he added:

"No, but it will be around Abu Dhabi. We will just focus on the championship first."

Team boss Laurent Mekies also confirmed the decision, explaining that they wish to "take a bit more time" before announcing the same. He also added that they were in no rush to make the call.

Red Bull and Racing Bulls are now the only teams yet to confirm their driver lineups for 2026. As things stand, Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar remain the only certainties within the camp for next year. Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda and Liam Lawson are still battling to secure their places on the grid.

Junior driver Arvid Lindblad has emerged as a strong contender for a potential RB seat in 2026 as well, and may well be more of a certainty than Tsunoda or Lawson.

Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar