Red Bull Racing started the 2026 Formula 1 season far below the expectations created during the preseason. Without podiums after four rounds, the team began to attract negative attention in the paddock, a situation that even surprised Pierre Gasly, a former driver for the team who currently races for Alpine.
Read more Juncadella comments on the reason for Verstappen’s frustration in F1
Shortly before the start of the championship, Red Bull was considered one of the favorites even debuting its own power unit in partnership with Ford. However, in the very first races, it became clear that the team would not be able to keep up with the competitors in the fight for wins.
Gasly stated that he expected a completely different scenario after following the tests in Bahrain. According to the Frenchman, the initial performance indicated that the team would be constantly among the protagonists of the championship.
“After Bahrain, I was sure they would be part of the fight among the top four,” Gasly said in an interview with the press. “In Australia, they looked quite strong. I think they started very well, but for some reason, after that it became much harder. It was quite surprising.”
Read more F1: Williams’ historic victory in 2012 ended in a dramatic fire
Red Bull introduced updates at the Miami GP and managed to show some improvement in performance. Max Verstappen finished the race in fifth position, the team’s best result so far this season.
Meanwhile, Isack Hadjar faced another difficult weekend and retired from the race in the early laps. Verstappen’s teammate has only achieved one top 10 result in the first four rounds of the year.
Despite the difficulties, Hadjar believes the team can react quickly already at the Canadian GP. The Frenchman acknowledged mistakes from both the team and himself during the weekend in Miami but highlighted that the internal environment remains positive: “It was a bit of a disaster on both sides. We need to stay united and see what we can do in the next round. Obviously, we are happy because the car gained performance. It’s no longer as hard to reach Q3 as it was in the first races. We will focus on the positives and try to have a strong round in Canada,” concluded Hadjar.
Read more F1: Stella points to Mercedes as the name to beat: «They have the fastest car»
