Red Bull concedes Mercedes gap but vows season-long 'fight'

Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies acknowledges a "large" performance deficit to Mercedes, estimating it would be "difficult" to claw back a full second in lap time over the season. However, he insists "nobody is giving up" at the six-time constructors' champions as they face a challenging start to the 2025 campaign, with the car falling from a promising pre-season to battling midfield teams in China.

Why it matters:

For a team of Red Bull's pedigree, such a significant performance gap to the front is a stark reality check. It signals a potential shift in the competitive order and puts immense pressure on the team's development department to mount a credible challenge. The admission underscores the scale of the task ahead if they are to prevent Mercedes from running away with the championship early on.

The details:

• The Size of the Gap: In China, Max Verstappen qualified P10, nearly a second behind polesitter Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes. Mekies confirmed the deficit was not a surprise, as Mercedes' strength was anticipated based on pre-season testing trends.
• A Volatile Start: The RB22 showed potential as the third-fastest package in Melbourne but regressed in Shanghai, where Red Bull cars were fighting Alpines and Haases. This inconsistency highlights the car's current operating window issues.
• Development Race Key: Mekies emphasized that the in-season "development rate" is expected to be "much higher than what we have seen in the past," making the season a long game. The upgrade battle will be crucial to changing the competitive picture.
• The Challenge Ahead: While committed to the fight, Mekies was realistic about the difficulty of eradicating a one-second gap, noting "obviously they [Mercedes] will improve as well."

What's next:

The focus at Milton Keynes will now intensely shift to unlocking performance through upgrades. The coming European leg of the season will be a critical test of Red Bull's ability to accelerate its development curve and close the gap. While overtaking Mercedes for outright pace this year appears a monumental task, the real fight is to get back into consistent podium contention and lay a foundation for 2026. Mekies's rallying cry sets the stage for a season defined by Red Bull's response to adversity.