Speaking at the Bahrain International Circuit, Mekies admitted that Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren looked significantly stronger over the two three-day tests
The 48-year-old, who stepped into the Red Bull team principal role ahead of the 2026 campaign, was clear that the Milton Keynes squad were not currently leading the pecking order.
“We see Mercedes being the fastest team right now,” Mekies said during the team principals’ press conference. “It’s always a bit of a guessing game in testing, but we think Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren are probably a fair bit faster than us right now.”
Red Bull’s new RB22, powered by the Red Bull-Ford power unit, showed flashes of performance in the opening test. However, the second week proved more subdued, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen and rookie Isack Hadjar encountering minor reliability concerns and limited headline pace.
Despite paddock speculation that Red Bull may have been running conservative engine modes, Mekies dismissed suggestions that the team were disguising their true performance.
“Telling you by what amount or in which order is probably too difficult,” he added. “But that would be my guess right now. These three are a fair bit ahead of everyone else.”
The competitive picture could still shift rapidly once development programmes accelerate. As Mekies pointed out, testing form does not always translate directly into race performance.
The 2026 season begins with the Australian Grand Prix on 8 March at the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit. Only then will the true order be revealed — and whether Red Bull’s warning proves to be caution or calculated misdirection.
