McLaren CEO Zak Brown warns that it would be “foolish” to underestimate Red Bull, despite their underwhelming start to the 2026 season.
While other teams have closed the gap, Brown believes the reigning champions have the resources and talent to bounce back quickly.
The shift in performance across the grid has made the championship more competitive, but Red Bull’s history of mid-season development remains a concern for rivals.
Brown noted that the current technical regulations are still being mastered, and a single major update could return Red Bull to the front of the pack.
McLaren is staying cautious, focusing on their own consistency rather than assuming their current advantage over Red Bull is permanent.
Industry experts agree that the battle for the top spot is now a multi-team fight, making strategic reliability more important than ever.
The upcoming European races are expected to reveal whether Red Bull has successfully diagnosed and fixed their early-season pace issues.
