Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies believes the team's recent upgrade package has eliminated key weaknesses that previously prevented them from challenging for victories consistently. The improvements introduced at Azerbaijan have systematically addressed areas where Red Bull was being beaten by other teams, creating better energy management and aerodynamic performance.
Max Verstappen's pole position and victory in Malaysia demonstrated the upgrade's effectiveness, with the team showing improved performance in high-speed and medium-speed corners where they previously struggled. The package has created what Verstappen described as better connected balance, making the car more predictable and easier to drive in challenging conditions.
However, Mekies acknowledged that no team has been able to consistently match Mercedes week in, week out this season. While Red Bull has been in the fight for podiums across recent races, he cautioned that it remains difficult to predict whether they can challenge for victories at every remaining circuit given the varied nature of track layouts and conditions.