Verstappen hoping upgrades can boost title defence at Red Bull home race
Max Verstappen leads Red Bull into their home Austrian Grand Prix this weekend hoping a major upgrades package can boost his title defence before it is too late.
The four-time world champion, who still needs to avoid any on-track problems that could lead to a mandatory race ban, has won four times at the high-speed Red Bull Ring circuit in the Styrian Alps and will be backed by his 'orange army' of fans.
But he knows that combination may not be enough.
McLaren's championship-leading duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who collided in Canada, are hoping to return to form after that rare off-day in a forecasted heatwave on a circuit expected to suit their car.
Last year's winner George Russell of Mercedes, who took advantage of McLaren's struggles in Montreal to win with aplomb ahead of Verstappen, will arrive with momentum and optimism, if wary of the heat.
"We are getting an update for Austria which will be refined for Silverstone," Red Bull's consultant Helmut Marko told Austria's Kleine Zeitung.
"But if that doesn't work then it will be difficult for the championship –- as if it is not difficult enough already."
Breaking free of team chief Christan Horner's more upbeat approach ahead of the 11th race of the 24-race season, Marko said he expected F1's cost cap and the need to focus on preparation for next year's sweeping regulation changes to curtail development this year.
"At some point people will say 'That's it for further development and for two reasons -- time -- the production of new parts takes time –- and the cost cap."
He suggested that a key decision to focus entirely on the 2026 car would likely be taken next month.
Verstappen, whose Red Bull car has been unable to match McLaren for most of this year, is without a win in three races since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May.
He has won twice this season, at the high-speed Imola and Suzuka circuits, but struggled on slower tracks.
In the drivers' championship, he trails McLaren's Piastri, by 43 points, and Norris, by 21, and is two penalty points on his licence away from a ban.
Two of his current total will expire after this Sunday's race.
- Red Bull's weaknesses -
Horner conceded that "our weakness at the moment is in the medium-speed type of corner... and in Austria, in the middle sector, there's a bit of it there. We'll see. If it's hot, I expect McLaren to be stronger again.
"There's a significant points gap between us and them, but we don't give up on anything and we're not even at the halfway point yet."
In last year's race, Verstappen collided with Norris as they fought for the lead, gifting Russell his victory.
That tangle, and his "stupid" crash into Piastri in Montreal, may hang heavily for Norris this weekend as he attempts to rebuild his title bid without further mishaps.
With Russell confident and Mercedes also boosted by rookie Kimi Antonelli's maiden podium finish in Canada, a closely-fought contest is in prospect involving all the leading teams.
"We expect our rivals to be much more competitive in Austria," said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff. "The track should be a good test of our recent updates."
Ferrari go into the weekend with less optimism.
"For us, the best thing is to take it race by race, try to maximise," said Charles Leclerc. "It's been a disappointing first part of the season, but we keep pushing. Let's see where that takes us."
str/jc
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
Verstappen hoping upgrades can boost title defence at Red Bull home race
Max Verstappen leads Red Bull into their home Austrian Grand Prix this weekend hoping a major upgrades package can boost his title defence before it is too late. The four-time world champion, who still needs to avoid any on-track problems that could lead to a mandatory race ban, has won four times at the high-speed Red Bull Ring circuit in the Styrian Alps and will be backed by his 'orange army' of fans. But he knows that combination may not be enough. McLaren's championship-leading duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who collided in Canada, are hoping to return to form after that rare off-day in a forecasted heatwave on a circuit expected to suit their car. Last year's winner George Russell of Mercedes, who took advantage of McLaren's struggles in Montreal to win with aplomb ahead of Verstappen, will arrive with momentum and optimism, if wary of the heat. "We are getting an update for Austria which will be refined for Silverstone," Red Bull's consultant Helmut Marko told Austria's Kleine Zeitung. "But if that doesn't work then it will be difficult for the championship –- as if it is not difficult enough already." Breaking free of team chief Christan Horner's more upbeat approach ahead of the 11th race of the 24-race season, Marko said he expected F1's cost cap and the need to focus on preparation for next year's sweeping regulation changes to curtail development this year. "At some point people will say 'That's it for further development and for two reasons -- time -- the production of new parts takes time –- and the cost cap." He suggested that a key decision to focus entirely on the 2026 car would likely be taken next month. Verstappen, whose Red Bull car has been unable to match McLaren for most of this year, is without a win in three races since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May. He has won twice this season, at the high-speed Imola and Suzuka circuits, but struggled on slower tracks. In the drivers' championship, he trails McLaren's Piastri, by 43 points, and Norris, by 21, and is two penalty points on his licence away from a ban. Two of his current total will expire after this Sunday's race. - Red Bull's weaknesses - Horner conceded that "our weakness at the moment is in the medium-speed type of corner... and in Austria, in the middle sector, there's a bit of it there. We'll see. If it's hot, I expect McLaren to be stronger again. "There's a significant points gap between us and them, but we don't give up on anything and we're not even at the halfway point yet." In last year's race, Verstappen collided with Norris as they fought for the lead, gifting Russell his victory. That tangle, and his "stupid" crash into Piastri in Montreal, may hang heavily for Norris this weekend as he attempts to rebuild his title bid without further mishaps. With Russell confident and Mercedes also boosted by rookie Kimi Antonelli's maiden podium finish in Canada, a closely-fought contest is in prospect involving all the leading teams. "We expect our rivals to be much more competitive in Austria," said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff. "The track should be a good test of our recent updates." Ferrari go into the weekend with less optimism. "For us, the best thing is to take it race by race, try to maximise," said Charles Leclerc. "It's been a disappointing first part of the season, but we keep pushing. Let's see where that takes us." str/jc
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Yahoo
Verstappen hoping upgrades can boost title defence at Red Bull home race
Max Verstappen is 43 points behind Oscar Piastri in the world championship title race (Minas Panagiotakis) Max Verstappen leads Red Bull into their home Austrian Grand Prix this weekend hoping a major upgrades package can boost his title defence before it is too late. The four-time world champion, who still needs to avoid any on-track problems that could lead to a mandatory race ban, has won four times at the high-speed Red Bull Ring circuit in the Styrian Alps and will be backed by his 'orange army' of fans. Advertisement But he knows that combination may not be enough. McLaren's championship-leading duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, who collided in Canada, are hoping to return to form after that rare off-day in a forecasted heatwave on a circuit expected to suit their car. Last year's winner George Russell of Mercedes, who took advantage of McLaren's struggles in Montreal to win with aplomb ahead of Verstappen, will arrive with momentum and optimism, if wary of the heat. "We are getting an update for Austria which will be refined for Silverstone," Red Bull's consultant Helmut Marko told Austria's Kleine Zeitung. Advertisement "But if that doesn't work then it will be difficult for the championship –- as if it is not difficult enough already." Breaking free of team chief Christan Horner's more upbeat approach ahead of the 11th race of the 24-race season, Marko said he expected F1's cost cap and the need to focus on preparation for next year's sweeping regulation changes to curtail development this year. "At some point people will say 'That's it for further development and for two reasons -- time -- the production of new parts takes time –- and the cost cap." He suggested that a key decision to focus entirely on the 2026 car would likely be taken next month. Advertisement Verstappen, whose Red Bull car has been unable to match McLaren for most of this year, is without a win in three races since the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May. He has won twice this season, at the high-speed Imola and Suzuka circuits, but struggled on slower tracks. In the drivers' championship, he trails McLaren's Piastri, by 43 points, and Norris, by 21, and is two penalty points on his licence away from a ban. Two of his current total will expire after this Sunday's race. - Red Bull's weaknesses - Horner conceded that "our weakness at the moment is in the medium-speed type of corner... and in Austria, in the middle sector, there's a bit of it there. We'll see. If it's hot, I expect McLaren to be stronger again. Advertisement "There's a significant points gap between us and them, but we don't give up on anything and we're not even at the halfway point yet." In last year's race, Verstappen collided with Norris as they fought for the lead, gifting Russell his victory. That tangle, and his "stupid" crash into Piastri in Montreal, may hang heavily for Norris this weekend as he attempts to rebuild his title bid without further mishaps. With Russell confident and Mercedes also boosted by rookie Kimi Antonelli's maiden podium finish in Canada, a closely-fought contest is in prospect involving all the leading teams. Advertisement "We expect our rivals to be much more competitive in Austria," said Mercedes team chief Toto Wolff. "The track should be a good test of our recent updates." Ferrari go into the weekend with less optimism. "For us, the best thing is to take it race by race, try to maximise," said Charles Leclerc. "It's been a disappointing first part of the season, but we keep pushing. Let's see where that takes us." str/jc
Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Newsweek
Toto Wolff Defends F1 Superiority, Slams Balance of Performance in Le Mans
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. While several F1 teams, such as Alpine and Ferrari, have fielded cars in the World Endurance Championship, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has explained why the German manufacturer has stayed away from the iconic Hypercar class of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Mercedes parted ways with the Le Mans race after a major accident in 1999, where the car flipped dangerously after taking off at high speed due to aerodynamic problems. Currently, the team's presence is limited to the GT3 class. While Wolff acknowledged the glory of Le Mans, he revealed his bias towards F1, considering it is the top tier of motorsports. Despite declaring that all other forms of racing come second to F1, he addressed the possibility of returning to Le Mans on the Bloomberg Hot Pursuit podcast. He said: Toto Wolff, Executive Director of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team on a scooter prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on April 20, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Toto Wolff, Executive Director of Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team on a scooter prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Saudi Arabia at Jeddah Corniche Circuit on April 20, 2025 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia."Le Mans... I'm a racer. The Le Mans 24 Hours is one of the greatest races in the world. "Formula 1, for me - obviously I'm biased - is the best there is. It's the best drivers, the quickest cars, the greatest tracks. But if I had to say what's next? Le Mans 24 Hours and the Indy 500. And then, for insiders, the Nürburgring 24 Hours. That, for me, is the top of the top. "What it is for me today is, we are concentrating on the main platform, and that is Formula 1. It's what we want to do. It captures 99% of the audience. Everything else comes second." Wolff then explained the hurdle that was preventing Mercedes from racing in Le Mans - the Balance of Power (BoP) rule, which prioritizes fairness in competition by ensuring all cars are as equal as possible within a class. He added: "As Mercedes, it's something that we've done in the past, but we weren't particularly... that wasn't our happiest place. "And then there's the little caveat to all this: at Mercedes, we are racing people. We don't like BoPs - we don't like Balance of Performance. We don't like somebody assessing your power, your energy consumption, your weight, your driver skill... "You spend so much time and money and effort developing the quickest car, and then you're being given 10 kilogrammes of ballast. I don't want that. I just want to build the quickest car." Wolff reckoned that a budget cap, like the one in F1, makes more sense to have a level playing field. He explained: "Formula 1 has shown how it should be done. Give us a cost cap. Do more of that - give everybody a cost cap. You cannot spend more than - whatever you said - 30-40 million. And within this 30-40 million, you can do what you want. I mean, there are still regulations, but nobody needs to bluff in pre-season testing or qualifying. It's pure racing. "If that were to happen, then Le Mans would absolutely be something we would look at. But at the moment, with BoP - having some officials judge whether you're too quick, adding 10 kilogrammes to your car or taking it out of someone else's the next day - that's not for us at the moment."
