MEKIES ON HOW AUSTRIA WAS ‘UNDOUBTEDLY THE STRONGEST RACE’

Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies declared Max Verstappen's P2 finish in Austria as "undoubtedly the strongest race" of the season. A significant upgrade package, including floor and rear suspension changes, propelled Red Bull closer to Mercedes, a breakthrough that even surprised Mekies.

Verstappen started P5 after a Q3 crash, quickly dispatching Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes and Charles Leclerc's Ferrari on Lap 2. He then won a thrilling battle with Lewis Hamilton, steadily reducing George Russell’s lead to finish less than two seconds behind. Mekies credits the Milton Keynes factory's massive effort, explaining the team started the season over a second off the pace. The Miami package reduced that to half a second, and the Austria upgrades brought them within "striking range," "within the last tenth." This strong performance suggests Red Bull is now firmly in the mix with the frontrunners, carrying critical momentum into the next race.