Red Bull brings final major upgrade package to Baku

Red Bull has arrived at the Baku City Circuit with a major upgrade package, headlined by a new floor designed to extract more local load while maintaining flow stability. The team has also revised its sidepods and mirror assembly geometry, with both Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar set to run the same specification this weekend.

Why it matters:

This marks Red Bull's final significant development push of the season. Team principal Laurent Mekies confirmed that the majority of resources have already shifted to next year's car, making this package critical for the team's immediate hopes of breaking its 2026 win drought. Should Red Bull fail to win any of the remaining races, it would be the first winless season for the team and Verstappen since 2015.

The details:

• Red Bull's upgrade list includes a new floor with subtle changes within permitted geometry, plus modified sidepods and mirror assemblies.
• The package is available to both drivers, ensuring a like-for-like comparison this weekend.
• Mekies described it as "most probably our last significant package," with a "very large majority" of resources now focused on the 2026 car.
• The team remains committed to chasing its first win, and the limited regulation changes for next year mean lessons learned now can carry over.

What's next:

Red Bull's recent form has been encouraging, with Verstappen reaching the podium in five of the last seven Grands Prix, including the last two in Monza and Madrid. However, Mekies acknowledged that the team is still not at the level of the fastest cars, saying the final "two or three tenths" are the hardest to find. With four teams separated by that margin, the upgrade's success in Baku will be a key indicator of whether Red Bull can close the gap before the season ends.