Helmut Marko eagerly anticipates the debut of Red Bull’s new upgrades at the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix to address a recent decline in performance from the RB20.
Confirming the team’s plans, senior advisor Helmut Marko announced that Red Bull will introduce updates for the RB20 in Hungary, aiming to propel the car forward once more.
Despite winning seven out of twelve races and holding strong positions in both drivers’ and constructors’ standings, Red Bull’s RB20 has lagged behind in recent races due to ineffective updates introduced at Imola in May.
Acknowledging that McLaren and possibly Mercedes have outpaced them in recent races, Marko hopes the upcoming upgrade will help Red Bull restore their competitive edge and give Max Verstappen a winning advantage once more.
Following consecutive victories by Mercedes, Verstappen experienced his first two-race winless streak since 2022. Marko recognizes that without the fastest car, any small error could cost them victory to their rivals.
With new parts set to debut in Hungary and a double-header at Spa-Francorchamps on the horizon – where Verstappen has remained unbeaten for three years – Marko holds optimism for Red Bull’s prospects if the upgrades deliver as expected.
“The bottom line for us is that everything has to fit perfectly for us to win. There can’t be the slightest mistake,” Marko wrote in a column for Speedweek.
“We were too slow on the medium tyre, but thank God there will be an update in Budapest and we hope that this will bring us a step forward again.
“If you look at the upcoming races, you can say that Budapest is a rather slow track, and Spa is one of Max’s favourite tracks, where he has always been exceptionally good.
“One thing is certain: the update must work, because we are currently behind McLaren in the base – and if you look at the England race, also behind Mercedes.
“It’s obviously crucial to get into the right temperature window, but the Red Bull is still not the fastest car at the moment and we have to correct that with the update.”
Heading into the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend, Verstappen leads the Drivers’ Championship by a significant 84-point margin over Lando Norris, while Red Bull maintains a solid 71-point lead over Ferrari in the Constructors’ standings.
