Verstappen “working harder than ever” to solve RB21 issues despite 2026 looming

Following the 2025 Chinese Grand Prix, Red Bull has found itself in a position the team is only just getting used to: playing catch-up to McLaren. But while the 2026 regulations will necessitate substantial resource allocation, team chief Christian Horner has confirmed that they won't be looking ahead to next year just yet, as they continue to fight for the constructors' championship this season.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1 after his team's China campaign, Horner confirmed that it's too soon to start looking beyond the potential of the 2025 season, despite the sudden drop in pace of the Red Bull cars compared to McLaren and even Mercedes.

"It's race 2. You can't be that defeatist. I mean we're 8 points behind in the drivers' championship after two races, and there's everything to play for, and if nothing else, last year teaches you: you can start as strong as you like, it's how you finish," Horner stated.

He continued, confirming that his team "has the tools," but now needs to decipher the data.

"We've got great strength and depth in our team. Everybody in the company knows we've got a bit of pace to find and you know, we've got the tools, we've got the people in order to do that. It's just unpicking it."

Previously describing the new regulations as "the biggest reset in probably the last 60 years of F1, where both the powertrain and chassis are changing," the team principal has facilitated a partnership with Ford to develop its in-house power unit.

Max Verstappen's performance this weekend has revealed the current limitations of the RB21, with the racing driver finishing third in the sprint and fourth in the Grand Prix. While the Dutchman is able to extract some performance from his machinery, team-mate Liam Lawson is struggling massively.

"I think the window's really small," he said after qualifying on Saturday, hinting at the spikey nature of the car.

The reigning champion is "working harder than I've ever seen him," says Horner. "And as he said, he seems to be enjoying that aspect, so he's not getting, you know, super stressed.

Watch: How McLaren won, and Ferrari lost - F1 Chinese GP Sunday Analysis

"He's of course, like any driver, impatient for performance, but he's working with the engineers to say, 'OK, what about this, what about this? This is what I'm experiencing as a driver, this is where I need the lap time from', and that's the only way collectively that we're gonna get performance."

With McLaren enjoying their current pace, the Milton Keynes squad will want to introduce upgrades sooner rather than later, with Horner previously admitting that development will "inevitably" continue throughout the season.