Red Bull is going through a difficult first half of the 2026 season and now seems to have little hope of securing a win before the end of the year, but with Max Verstappen, you never know?
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The Dutchman competed with Ferrari in Hungary (photo above), but it was behind the McLaren, once again dominant.
After eleven rounds, the Red Bull team is in fourth place in the Constructors’ Championship, more than 200 points behind Mercedes, with only four podiums, all achieved by Max Verstappen.
A too unruly RB22
While expectations were deliberately modest before the start of the season due to the arrival of the first engine designed in-house by Red Bull, it is ultimately the chassis that seems to be the main problem. Internally, the 2026 car is even already considered a failure, despite the many upgrades introduced since the start of the championship.
The technical department led by Pierre Waché had planned several development phases to make the car easier to drive, but none have delivered the expected progress. The situation reached a particularly critical point in Hungary, where both Verstappen and Isack Hadjar qualified the car as undrivable.
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The comparison with 2025 also fuels pessimism. Last season, Red Bull managed to transform its car thanks to a particularly effective development program. Verstappen had thus made up a 104-point deficit to finally finish just two points behind champion Lando Norris.
Impossible comeback?
This time, the Dutchman is already 110 points behind Kimi Antonelli, and a similar comeback seems much less likely. Red Bull nevertheless hopes to benefit from the ADUO system, which allows less competitive engine manufacturers additional development opportunities. The team is awaiting the next FIA evaluation, with Mercedes now considered the benchmark in engine performance.
Given the difficulties encountered, Red Bull could however decide to limit its investments in the current car to focus more resources on its 2027 car. The regulations will remain largely stable next year, but several changes could offer an opportunity to start on better foundations.
Verstappen’s situation complicates this decision. The four-time world champion has until October a clause potentially allowing him to leave Red Bull. The team must therefore continue to show him signs of short-term progress, while knowing that the 2027 car could ultimately be even more decisive in convincing their driver to stay.
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