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After a sobering reality check at the 2026 Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen openly admitted that Red Bull Racing currently feels like the “fourth team” on the grid, the Milton Keynes squad is officially hitting the panic button.
The primary culprit behind their sudden loss of dominance? The RB22 chassis is simply too heavy. However, a major technical lifeline is on the horizon. Red Bull is preparing to introduce a massive upgrade package at the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix, specifically aimed at shedding the final stubborn pounds of excess weight.
The desperation to catch back up to Ferrari and McLaren was made blatantly clear during a recent press interaction with Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies. As shared by @RBRHub, Mekies acknowledged the massive aerodynamic strides their rivals have made and confirmed that Red Bull’s answer is coming at their home race.
“The lap times will answer your questions,” Mekies stated. “It is true that the picture this season, with the differences in performance, has to do with who introduces upgrades. Ferrari took a big step forward this weekend. Our next major upgrade comes in Austria.”
MONTE-CARLO, MONACO – JUNE 07: Isack Hadjar of France driving the (6) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB22 Red Bull Ford on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on June 07, 2026 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202606070284 // Usage for editorial use only //
While aerodynamic efficiency is key, the root of the RB22’s lethargy is its curb weight. When a journalist pressed Mekies on the team’s specific weight reduction plans, the Team Principal offered a highly memorable, tongue-in-cheek response.
“I am going to eat less. That is my plan for Austria, and hopefully we then become lighter,” Mekies joked. “I know that Austrian food is tasty, but the plan is to bring the car to Italy and maintain a bit of a diet.”
Mekies might be joking about his own dietary habits, but the engineering department led by Technical Director Pierre Waché—who recently took the reins following Adrian Newey’s departure—is taking the weight crisis incredibly seriously.
According to a technical report from F1 Maximaal, the RB22 started the 2026 season a massive 12 kilograms (roughly 26.5 pounds) over the FIA’s minimum weight limit of 768kg. The team managed to slash that deficit in half, down to 6kg, during the Miami Grand Prix update, which briefly brought Verstappen back into the mix.
The new package slated for Austria is designed to eliminate those final six kilograms. In Formula 1, weight is the ultimate enemy of lap time; engineers generally calculate that 10 kilograms of excess mass costs a car around three-tenths of a second per lap. If the Red Bull mechanics successfully bring the car down to the 768kg floor in Austria, they will instantly unlock nearly two-tenths of raw pace without relying on a single aerodynamic tweak.
While shedding weight provides a guaranteed mathematical boost, Mekies is realistic about the mountain Red Bull still has to climb against Ferrari and McLaren.
“There is no doubt that the package in Austria by itself is not going to be enough,” Mekies explained. “It is important, however, that we continue to close the gap constantly. We have been doing that since Japan, and we must continue to do so, so that we are no longer talking about a deficit of four tenths, but about a smaller difference.”
For Verstappen and his teammate Isack Hadjar, a lighter RB22 can’t arrive soon enough. Less mass means the car will naturally be easier to rotate through high-speed sweeps and far less abusive on its Pirelli tires. If this Austrian diet plan works, Red Bull might finally be able to claw their way back to the front of the grid.
Continue reading...
The primary culprit behind their sudden loss of dominance? The RB22 chassis is simply too heavy. However, a major technical lifeline is on the horizon. Red Bull is preparing to introduce a massive upgrade package at the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix, specifically aimed at shedding the final stubborn pounds of excess weight.
Red Bull Racing “Diet” Plan
The desperation to catch back up to Ferrari and McLaren was made blatantly clear during a recent press interaction with Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies. As shared by @RBRHub, Mekies acknowledged the massive aerodynamic strides their rivals have made and confirmed that Red Bull’s answer is coming at their home race.
“The lap times will answer your questions,” Mekies stated. “It is true that the picture this season, with the differences in performance, has to do with who introduces upgrades. Ferrari took a big step forward this weekend. Our next major upgrade comes in Austria.”
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MONTE-CARLO, MONACO – JUNE 07: Isack Hadjar of France driving the (6) Oracle Red Bull Racing RB22 Red Bull Ford on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on June 07, 2026 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images) // Getty Images / Red Bull Content Pool // SI202606070284 // Usage for editorial use only //
While aerodynamic efficiency is key, the root of the RB22’s lethargy is its curb weight. When a journalist pressed Mekies on the team’s specific weight reduction plans, the Team Principal offered a highly memorable, tongue-in-cheek response.
“I am going to eat less. That is my plan for Austria, and hopefully we then become lighter,” Mekies joked. “I know that Austrian food is tasty, but the plan is to bring the car to Italy and maintain a bit of a diet.”
Unlocking the Hidden Pace
Mekies might be joking about his own dietary habits, but the engineering department led by Technical Director Pierre Waché—who recently took the reins following Adrian Newey’s departure—is taking the weight crisis incredibly seriously.
According to a technical report from F1 Maximaal, the RB22 started the 2026 season a massive 12 kilograms (roughly 26.5 pounds) over the FIA’s minimum weight limit of 768kg. The team managed to slash that deficit in half, down to 6kg, during the Miami Grand Prix update, which briefly brought Verstappen back into the mix.
The new package slated for Austria is designed to eliminate those final six kilograms. In Formula 1, weight is the ultimate enemy of lap time; engineers generally calculate that 10 kilograms of excess mass costs a car around three-tenths of a second per lap. If the Red Bull mechanics successfully bring the car down to the 768kg floor in Austria, they will instantly unlock nearly two-tenths of raw pace without relying on a single aerodynamic tweak.
While shedding weight provides a guaranteed mathematical boost, Mekies is realistic about the mountain Red Bull still has to climb against Ferrari and McLaren.
“There is no doubt that the package in Austria by itself is not going to be enough,” Mekies explained. “It is important, however, that we continue to close the gap constantly. We have been doing that since Japan, and we must continue to do so, so that we are no longer talking about a deficit of four tenths, but about a smaller difference.”
For Verstappen and his teammate Isack Hadjar, a lighter RB22 can’t arrive soon enough. Less mass means the car will naturally be easier to rotate through high-speed sweeps and far less abusive on its Pirelli tires. If this Austrian diet plan works, Red Bull might finally be able to claw their way back to the front of the grid.
Continue reading...
