Verstappen: Red Bull still 'P4 as a team' after subdued Barcelona GP

Max Verstappen climbed to fourth at the Barcelona Grand Prix thanks to a late DNF from Kimi Antonelli, but the four-time world champion offered a blunt assessment of Red Bull's current standing. Despite securing the team's best result since Canada, Verstappen made clear the RB22 remains adrift of Ferrari, Mercedes, and McLaren, insisting that only effective upgrades will change that reality. Team principal Laurent Mekies has responded by confirming major updates are planned for the upcoming Austrian Grand Prix.

Why it matters:

Red Bull's fall from dominant force to midfield contender has defined the 2026 season, and Verstappen's honesty underscores the urgency behind the team's recovery efforts. Fourth place on a high-degradation circuit represented a rare bright spot, yet the Dutchman refused to dress it up as genuine progress, instead framing the team as firmly "P4" in the pecking order. That self-awareness matters because it signals Red Bull is chasing fundamental performance gains rather than settling for opportunistic points finishes as it fights to reclaim its place at the front.

The details:

• Verstappen started fifth in Barcelona and was set to finish there until Antonelli's retirement promoted him to fourth, marking his best outing since the Canadian Grand Prix podium.
• Teammate Isack Hadjar backed up the result with sixth place, delivering a double points finish behind Oscar Piastri.
• Speaking to media including GPblog, Verstappen identified the core issue as a straight-line performance deficit to the leading trio, stating Red Bull is "a work in progress" and urgently needs upgrades that actually deliver.
• Mekies described Barcelona as a "reality check" but expressed satisfaction with both drivers' performances, while confirming the squad's focus is now locked on Spielberg.
• The planned package for Austria includes a lighter chassis and other major updates, with Mekies openly targeting a significant step forward in overall competitiveness.

Looking ahead:

The Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring is shaping up as a critical test of the team's development trajectory. Mekies has staked the team's immediate hopes on a lighter, upgraded RB22, and the paddock will watch closely to see whether the changes can shrink the gap to the frontrunners. For Verstappen, patience is wearing thin after months of operating outside the podium fight, making Spielberg a potential inflection point for both his season and the team's championship aspirations.