Verstappen concedes Red Bull was 'never close' to Mercedes after dismal Chinese GP

Max Verstappen has starkly admitted Red Bull was "never close" to rivals Mercedes and Ferrari in performance terms, following a disastrous Chinese Grand Prix weekend where he scored zero points and retired with an ERS failure. The four-time champion dismissed pre-season hype about Red Bull's pace as he and the team face a reality check early in the 2026 season.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's candid assessment signals a significant shift in the competitive order, confirming that Red Bull is no longer the default benchmark. After years of dominance, this admission highlights the team's current struggle to match the development pace of Mercedes and Ferrari under the new 2026 regulations, putting immediate pressure on Red Bull to find solutions during a critical phase of the season.

The details:

• Pre-Season vs. Reality: Despite Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff labeling Red Bull as the "early benchmark" after testing—claiming a one-second per lap straight-line speed advantage—the performance in China told a different story. Verstappen stated he never felt the car was competitive relative to the frontrunners.
• A Particularly Bad Weekend: The Chinese GP was a low point, with Verstappen suffering an ERS-related retirement in the Sprint and failing to score. He called the weekend "particularly bad," raising questions about the car's consistency and reliability.
• Verstappen's Frank Analysis: When asked if China's performance reflected Red Bull's true pace, Verstappen replied, "I hope not. But I don't know, it's impossible to say." He emphasized that falling behind Mercedes and Ferrari was "not a surprise" to him, contradicting external pre-season narratives.
• External Criticism: The Dutch driver has also faced criticism for his vocal complaints about the 2026 regulations, with former Haas boss Guenther Steiner accusing him of "throwing the toys out of the pram" when circumstances are not in his favor.

What's next:

The focus now shifts to Red Bull's ability to respond. Verstappen pointed to the upcoming April break—extended due to the cancellation of the Bahrain and Saudi Arabian races—as a crucial period to bring performance upgrades.

• However, he realistically noted that rivals will also be developing their cars, making the development race intensely competitive.
• The team's capacity to diagnose the fundamental issues behind its lack of pace and reliability will be tested in the coming weeks, starting with the Japanese Grand Prix, as they attempt to climb back toward the front of the grid.