Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has suggested that his squad's recent uptick in performance across the Formula 1 season may not solely be down to the new components introduced in recent weeks. The Milton Keynes-based outfit unveiled a batch of fresh parts in Baku at the start of the sport's demanding triple header.
Having successfully achieved a double podium finish in Azerbaijan, the team finally secured its breakthrough victory of the year in Bahrain, with star driver Max Verstappen claiming his 72nd career victory. While Mekies openly admitted that the aerodynamic and mechanical upgrades have proven to be a positive step forward, he pointed out that additional external factors could well have been in play.
According to Mekies, the positive trajectory has been visible since earlier rounds including Monza and Madrid, showing steady progress in lap time extraction. However, he also emphasized that specific circuit characteristics and weather conditions in recent races might have shifted the competitive landscape unexpectedly.
"On one side, it's confirming the positive trend with Monza, with Madrid, with Baku, with Bahrain," Mekies told select media. "We seem to be adding a little bit of performance at every race, which is great. On the other side, is there another factor that has influenced what we have seen in Bahrain, or several other factors? Possibly."
He further elaborated that extreme ambient temperatures, track roughness, and unique layouts likely forced rival teams out of their optimal operating windows. Despite these variables potentially altering the pecking order, Mekies stressed that it does not fundamentally alter how the team prepares for upcoming Grands Prix.
Looking ahead to the upcoming weekend in Singapore, the team's pre-event analysis suggested that the layout of the Marina Bay circuit should suit their car's strengths in slow-speed corners much better than Bahrain did. Although Verstappen has urged caution regarding their true competitive stance, Mekies remains optimistic about their prospects.
"We will try to adapt as best as we can next, and we'll see," Mekies concluded. "We still think Singapore hopefully will be suiting us, as we felt it would, in terms of slow-speed corner performance. What competition we'll do, it's very difficult to understand."
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