Former Formula 1 driver Robert Doornbos has assessed Red Bull Racing’s current performance in the 2026 season, indicating the team is barely competing at the forefront. Doornbos attributes this observation to statements made by Laurent Mekies, who serves as the CEO and Team Principal of Oracle Red Bull Racing.
Red Bull has faced significant challenges during the current 2026 campaign. The team commenced the season with a substantial performance deficit, with qualifying and race pace lagging by up to one second in the initial four Grands Prix.
Despite introducing considerable upgrade packages, which halved the performance gap to rivals such as Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren, Red Bull has not yet achieved its desired level of competitiveness.
The RB22 car has demonstrated inherent limitations, operating within a narrow performance window. Technical issues include instability, inconsistent starts, and pronounced tyre degradation.
Furthermore, the RB22 has been identified as overweight, a factor estimated to cost the team approximately two-tenths of a second per lap. This excess weight also restricts the team’s ability to utilise ballast for fine-tuning the car’s balance.
Red Bull Technical Director Pierre Wache has openly discussed the car’s struggles. Wache noted the RB22’s characteristics limit driver input and the ability to rebalance the car effectively.
“Clearly, we have some limitations, like every racing car, in terms of stability on entry and mid-corner understeer, and we try to avoid those aspects by using some mechanical tools to achieve it.”
Wache also mentioned mechanical issues affecting driver feel through the steering, which required correction early in the season. Max Verstappen and teammate Isack Hadjar have both communicated concerns over car balance and gear ratios via team radio.
Doornbos previously speculated in October 2025 that Verstappen might depart Red Bull by 2026, citing the team’s challenges in retaining the four-time World Champion and Mercedes’ strong engine preparations for the new regulations.
More recently, Doornbos observed Verstappen’s relief after securing a second-place finish in Austria earlier this season, stating that Verstappen is ‘not born to race in the midfield.’
Laurent Mekies himself has acknowledged the team’s difficulties, admitting earlier this year that Red Bull was ‘wrestling’ to fully comprehend the RB22’s behaviour and resolve its balance issues.
The current Red Bull Racing driver lineup for the 2026 season consists of Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar. Both drivers continue to navigate the complexities of the RB22 as the team works to enhance its performance.
The ongoing challenge for Red Bull is to overcome these technical hurdles and consistently return to a position where they can contend for victories and championships.
