Red Bull will not be F1’s start benchmark in 2026, Mekies says

Red Bull will not be the benchmark for race starts before the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season, team principal Laurent Mekies says. He said significant design and hardware changes would be needed, and that the team would not see them until 2027.

At the United States Grand Prix in Austin, Red Bull’s Isack Hadjar fell from third to fifth off the line. Hadjar blamed “clutch over delivery”; Mekies said start performance spans nearly every department, probably except aerodynamics, and named the engine, gearbox and clutch.

Mekies said Red Bull had not been the benchmark at starts since the beginning of 2026, but expected small improvements to keep reducing the gap in the remaining races. The car’s improved pace has made the deficit more painful, he said, because Red Bull is now fighting closer to the front against strong competition.