Marko slams McLaren

Helmut Marko has reiterated that the team knows exactly what it is doing as it continues to update its 2025 Formula 1 car. He made these comments in response to McLaren’s claim that Red Bull might be jeopardising its preparations for the 2026 season by investing resources in this year’s car. In his usual direct style, Marko dismissed the concern with a reminder: “Toto had the same worries in 2021.”

While McLaren has halted work on its 2025 car to focus entirely on the significant 2026 regulatory changes, Red Bull is committed to refining its current design. Recent races have seen the team introduce several updates, including a new underbody at Monza, a revised front wing in Singapore and another evolution of the underbody for the Mexican Grand Prix. The latest package also featured changes to the bodywork to enhance cooling efficiency, an important factor in Mexico’s thin air.

 

Combining cooling and performance

Officially, the FIA listed the upgrade as an ‘underbody update’, but Marko clarified that the main goal was to improve cooling performance.

“The update was primarily designed for cooling performance due to the thinner air here,” he explained. However, the adjustments went beyond that, with the underbody and cooling system integrated into a single development package.

Only Max Verstappen received the full suite of new components, while his teammate Yuki Tsunoda continued to use an older version of the car. This suggests that Red Bull is still testing and validating specific solutions, balancing performance gains against data collection for future applications.

 

McLaren’s contrasting philosophy

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella questioned the wisdom of Red Bull’s approach, suggesting that continuing to develop the 2025 car could affect their long-term competitiveness.

“Perhaps Red Bull is more willing to give up something from 2026 because there are other issues there, and they say we’re focusing on 2025,” he said.

McLaren’s approach is different: the team has decided to freeze development of the 2025 car entirely and focus all efforts on the radical 2026 regulations.

This difference highlights a key strategic divide in the paddock. Some teams, like McLaren, believe in preparing early for regulatory changes. Others, like Red Bull, prefer to maximise performance in the current era, trusting their ability to adapt later.

 

A reminder from 2021:

Marko responded to criticism by invoking Red Bull’s experience ahead of the 2022 regulation change: “Toto thought the same thing in 2021,” he said.

“At the time, he was worried we wouldn’t be competitive in 2022.”

Despite starting development late in 2021, Red Bull went on to win both championships in 2022, thus validating their long-term approach.

However, 2026 presents a new challenge. Unlike in 2022, Red Bull will be competing with its own power unit, which has been developed by Red Bull Powertrains. This marks a significant change from their previous partnership with Honda. Nevertheless, Marko insists that extending car development remains a fundamental part of Red Bull’s philosophy.

“It’s part of our DNA to work on every rule change until we’re sure we’ll remain competitive. That’s been the case with the last three regulation changes,” he said.

 

The strategy behind the updates

Marko and team principal Laurent Mekies have emphasised that there is a strategic rationale behind the continued updates. The goal isn’t just to chase lap time; it’s also to validate Red Bull’s simulation tools, design workflows and development processes ahead of 2026. By pushing the RB21 to its limits, Red Bull gathers valuable data on aerodynamics, materials and thermal performance, ensuring that new methodologies are proven before the regulatory reset.

Mekies explained that getting more out of the current car means the team can enter the off-season confident in their tools and systems. By contrast, McLaren’s earlier shift suggests that they have reached a performance plateau with the MCL39, making it difficult to achieve further gains under the current regulations.

 

Balancing present and future

Every Formula 1 team faces the same challenge under the budget cap and aerodynamic testing restrictions: how to divide limited resources between current and future projects. Late-season updates incur costs in terms of money, as well as available wind tunnel and CFD time. Red Bull’s decision to continue developing the RB21 demonstrates their confidence in their operational discipline and efficiency.

Marko is certain that this approach will not harm Red Bull’s long-term goals. “It requires a precise plan and very disciplined people — and we have them. That’s why we don’t see any disadvantage for 2026,” he said.

While McLaren believes Red Bull is risking future performance for short-term gain, Marko sees it as a calculated continuation of a proven formula. Red Bull has a history of developing deeply into regulation cycles without losing its edge when new rules are introduced. Given the team’s successful track record in managing transitions, Marko’s assertion that ‘we know what we’re doing’ carries weight. Whether this confidence will be justified remains to be seen, but for now, Red Bull shows no sign of slowing down.