Red Bull shifts focus after final 2026 upgrade package
Red Bull introduced its last significant upgrade package of the 2026 season at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. Team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed the team has shifted the vast majority of development resources to the 2027 car while still chasing a first win this year. The five-part update, including a new floor and revised sidepods, appeared on both cars.
Upgrade details and development shift
Red Bull brought a five-part aerodynamic package to the Baku City Circuit for the 2026 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The updates included a new floor with subtle geometry changes to extract more local load while maintaining flow stability, along with revised sidepods and mirror assemblies. Both Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar ran the specification.[1]
Team principal Laurent Mekies stated during the Thursday press conference that the package represented the final notable development step of the season. He noted that a very large majority of resources had already moved to the 2027 car.[2]
Remaining 2026 objectives
Mekies added that the team continues to pursue its first win of 2026 and will use the remaining races to gather data ahead of the following year, given the limited regulatory changes. Technical director Pierre Wache indicated after practice that the updates delivered the expected performance.[1]
Related reading
- [1]Red Bull confirms final major F1 upgrade of 2026 for Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar (motorsport). Accessed 2026-10-01.
- [2]Red Bull confirms last major F1 2026 upgrade amid 2027 focus shift (crash). Accessed 2026-10-01.