Max Verstappen admitted that Red Bull Racing is not yet in a position to fight for victories in the 2026 Formula 1 season, despite the good performance in pre-season testing. With the launch of the new Red Bull Powertrains-Ford power unit, the team had a positive testing period in Bahrain, with the Dutch driver featuring in the top three in the last two sessions. However, he recognizes that the team still needs to improve its performance to compete with the main forces of F1, such as Mercedes and Ferrari.
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In an interview with Viaplay, Verstappen praised Red Bull’s work, highlighting the ‘extraordinary’ effort to develop the new engine, especially considering the number of new people involved in the project. However, the four-time F1 champion was clear, stating that the team still needs to take another step forward in terms of performance to match the main competitors: “Realistically, I don’t believe we are ready to fight for victories at the moment,” he stated.
Verstappen, who has also clearly expressed his dissatisfaction with the new Formula 1 rules, highlighted that the emphasis on energy management will make racing more challenging for drivers, and Verstappen warned of the difficulties that certain tracks, such as Melbourne, will impose due to long straights and few heavy braking zones.
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“It will be harder than in previous years. Melbourne will be one of the most difficult, with small details on how to charge the battery, which will have a big impact on performance,” concluded the Dutch driver, who is investing a lot of time in the simulator to prepare for these challenges.
Although Verstappen remains skeptical regarding the changes in Formula 1, he stated that any car that requires performance at the limit is challenging, although some experiences behind the wheel are more pleasant than others.
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