Red Bull's technical director Laurent Mekies has admitted the team faces significant shortcomings with their 2026 car after a disastrous Chinese Grand Prix. The Milton Keynes-based team, now operating as their own engine manufacturer, has scored just 12 points from two races - their worst start since 2015. Engine-related issues have plagued both Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, with Verstappen retiring from sixth place in Shanghai.

Mekies acknowledged that while getting their power unit on the grid in Melbourne was a major achievement, reliability problems have been inevitable. The team has encountered coolant faults and performance issues across the opening races. Verstappen described the RB21 as "incredibly tough to drive" with severe tyre degradation problems, calling his Shanghai weekend "particularly bad" after failing to score in both Sprint and Grand Prix.

With the cancellation of Bahrain and Saudi Arabian Grands Prix, Red Bull now has a five-week gap to address their issues before the Japanese Grand Prix. Mekies expressed confidence that their talented Milton Keynes team can make rapid improvements, though the championship already appears to be slipping away. Verstappen remains hopeful for "big steps" after Suzuka, but the team faces an uphill battle to recover from their early-season struggles.