Both Red Bull and Ferrari will upgrade to the Austrian Grand Prix.
Max Verstappen commented that after finishing second in Canada, Red Bull needs more performance to challenge a more consistent victory and can upgrade in the pipeline for his return to Europe. New parts are in the car this weekend, and Verstappen says the team needs to take relatively small steps compared to its rivals.
“Hopefully it gives us a little more performance,” Verstappen said. “The team is working hard to get these parts, and of course we are very pleased to see an upgrade here.
“A little bit of progress will help you become more competitive and close the gap a bit. But at the same time, we know that others are bringing bits throughout the year too. So we need to keep working hard and trying to fill that gap.”
Yuki Tsunoda has confirmed that the upgrade will only be made on Verstappen cars in Austria. More tweaks are expected for the next weekend at Silverstone, according to Red Bull Advisor Helmut Marko.
Oscar Piastri also confirmed that there will be some new parts on the front end of McLaren this weekend, as the championship-leading team turned their form around mid-season last year, while Ferrari is another team that will bring in the Red Bull Ring update.
Fred Vasser’s team, although inconsistent throughout 2025, showed signs of progress since Imola, increasing the pace of strong races throughout the European trio’s successive races. A new floor is being introduced this weekend, but both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have lowered expectations for it.
“I don’t think it will change radically (overall competitiveness),” Leclerc said. “What we want to do is take a small step in the right direction and try to clarify which direction we can push in in the future.
“I’m going to take a step forward. Will it be enough to fill the gap with McLaren? It’s probably not because McLaren and Red Bull are too far for now. As I’ve said many times, Mercedes is up and down, so it’s a little more difficult to judge with them. But I think it’s going to be a step in the right direction.
Hamilton has struggled to adapt to the newer car since moving from Mercedes to Ferrari, and similarly, the overall downforce is expected to change drastically, but the balance impact could help with personal comfort in handling the car.
“First of all, I’m happy to have an upgrade,” Hamilton said. “It’s always exciting to get new pieces in the car, so I really appreciate those who work really hard to bring them along.
“We really don’t know the actual effect it has. It’s not the usual information about how much load you put on the car. That’s not necessarily clear. Hopefully, we don’t think it will change the vast amount, but the fingers are better than we want.”