Red Bull faced a rocky start under new technical regulations, yet drivers Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar surprised many by showing more polish in Melbourne than in China or Japan. After Bahrain, Toto Wolff had warned that Red Bull was climbing a Mount Everest of power‑unit performance, but the team showed resilience at Albert Park.

Verstappen admitted the RB22's power unit held its own against Mercedes, noting that pure output was not the main issue. However, balance problems plagued the car in both Shanghai and Suzuka, with Hadjar describing the car as “undriveable” and dangerous. The gap to the leaders widened each weekend, eroding Red Bull’s competitive edge today again.

Laurent Mekies blamed the lack of a stable operating window for the RB22, saying the team had slipped back against both midfield and the front‑row. While McLaren was still catching up in Australia, the gap widened in China and Japan, revealing that Red Bull’s chassis development has fallen behind despite earlier gains in Bahrain today.

The team now has a window to diagnose and correct these limitations before Miami. Mekies emphasized the need for deep data analysis and simulation, warning that quick upgrades won’t help without a clear understanding of the underlying issues. Red Bull’s performance deficit is unprecedented in the last eleven seasons, highlighting the urgency for rapid improvement.