Get ready for a thrilling F1 season opener, but here’s the twist: Red Bull’s boss, Laurent Mekies, has dropped a bombshell that could shake up the grid. In a bold statement, he claims Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren are 'noticeably faster' than his team as the season kicks off. This isn’t just a casual observation—it’s a wake-up call that’s already sparking debates among fans and experts alike.
During pre-season testing at the Bahrain International Circuit, Mekies, 48, continued to temper expectations for the RB22’s performance in Melbourne. And this is the part most people miss: despite Red Bull’s strong showing in the first three-day test in Sakhir—which even surprised Mercedes, the early favorite—Mekies isn’t convinced his team is leading the pack. In fact, he’s doubling down on his belief that their rivals have the edge.
'Mercedes is the fastest team right now,' Mekies told the media, including RacingNews365, during the team principals' press conference. But here’s where it gets controversial: he admitted it’s all a bit of a guessing game, echoing Alan Permane’s sentiment. Yet, Mekies isn’t playing the guessing game himself—he’s putting his cards on the table. 'We think Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren are probably a fair bit faster than us at this point,' he added, a statement that’s sure to ignite discussions.
Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar’s performance with the RB22 in the second test was slightly less impressive, with some suggesting Red Bull might be holding back on their new Ford power unit. But Mekies insists his team isn’t in the same league as their rivals—though he stopped short of quantifying the gap. 'It’s hard to say by how much or in what order, but that’s my current guess,' the Frenchman explained. 'However, as teams evolve their cars, those guesses could change dramatically.'
And this is the part that’ll keep you thinking: Mekies is convinced these three teams—Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren—are 'noticeably ahead of everyone else.' But is he being overly cautious, or does he know something we don’t? What do you think? Is Red Bull playing mind games, or are they genuinely concerned about their rivals’ pace? Let us know in the comments—this is one debate you won’t want to miss!
