Red Bull appears to be far from done with its development. While most teams have already shifted their focus entirely to the 2026 car, top advisor Helmut Marko hints at another upgrade in the pipeline. The team is pulling out all the stops in Max Verstappen‘s title fight. With three victories in the last four Grands Prix, the Dutchman has kicked off his pursuit of a fifth consecutive championship.
Following the United States Grand Prix, Marko confirmed that Red Bull still sees room for improvement – partly thanks to an upgrade that can be implemented in the remaining five races. “We still have something up our sleeve,” the Austrian declared to OE24. “But I don’t know exactly when that will come.” The team has already shown an impressive turnaround in recent weeks; with three wins in four races, Verstappen has reduced his championship deficit to forty World Championship points.
Mood within Red Bull
According to Marko, the mood within Red Bull is currently excellent. At the same time, he sees McLaren losing the dominant form it had earlier in the season. “There’s a great atmosphere in the team right now,” said the 82-year-old top advisor. “You can tell that McLaren is not having it as easy anymore. Oscar Piastri really struggled during the race – let’s hope that continues.” According to Marko, Red Bull, with or without an upgrade, is a formidable opponent on any circuit. “We are competitive everywhere. And in that case, Max (Verstappen) always makes the difference.”
While Red Bull is still working on an upgrade, rival McLaren is opting for stability. Team boss Andrea Stella confirmed to the press in Austin that the team has nothing new in the pipeline. “As for upgrades or new parts – we won’t see any more of those for the rest of the season,” said the Italian.
