Verstappen Dismisses Rival Suspicion, Admits Red Bull 'Not The Quickest'

Max Verstappen has downplayed rivals' suggestions that Red Bull is hiding its true pace, instead stating the team is "not the quickest" heading into the Australian Grand Prix. The reigning champion expressed satisfaction with the team's internal progress but acknowledged a performance deficit after pre-season testing, leaving the team's competitive position an open question.

Why it matters:

Verstappen's candid admission shifts the narrative from one of Red Bull sandbagging to one of genuine uncertainty, raising the stakes for the first race of the season. If accurate, it signals a potential shake-up at the front of the grid after years of Red Bull dominance, making the championship battle more unpredictable from the outset.

The details:

• Rivals George Russell and Lewis Hamilton voiced suspicions that Red Bull has not yet shown its full potential with the new RB22, with Russell noting a "suspiciously slow" appearance and a mysterious lap time drop in testing.
• Verstappen directly countered this, stating he does not think about what other teams are doing and is focused solely on Red Bull's own program.
• Despite the external doubts, Verstappen praised the team's integration of its new in-house Red Bull Powertrains (RBPT) engine with the 2026 chassis, calling it a "proud moment" and expressing positive surprise at the driving feel.
• Performance Reality: The Dutch driver conceded that, based on data from Bahrain, Red Bull is not the fastest team, aligning with paddock consensus that Mercedes and Ferrari are the current favorites.
• Engine Praise: The new RBPT power unit has drawn significant praise from competitors, with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff earlier claiming it provided a one-second per lap straight-line advantage and Carlos Sainz calling it a "clear step ahead."

What's next:

All speculation will be put to the test at Albert Park. Verstappen's comments set a modest expectation, but the true performance hierarchy will only be revealed in qualifying and the race.

• The Australian Grand Prix will serve as the first true benchmark for where each team stands, validating or disproving the testing form and the various theories circulating in the paddock.
• For Red Bull, the immediate goal will be to maximize their package's potential, whether that means fighting for victory or consolidating a position as the best of the rest behind Mercedes and Ferrari.