Red Bull Austrian GP upgrades come with fierce F1 title warning

Red Bull is set to introduce upgrades at the Austrian Grand Prix before they are further streamlined at Silverstone one week later.

However, Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has highlighted they will be critical for Max Verstappen's title hopes this year.

Verstappen currently sits third in the drivers' championship, trailing the McLarens of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

McLaren has enjoyed the strongest run during the current campaign with seven wins in the opening 10 rounds.

As Red Bull looks to close down the gap to the championship leaders, Marko outlined Red Bull's pressing upgrade plan in place for the next two rounds.

“We're getting an update for Austria, which will then be further refined for Silverstone,” Marko told Kleine Zeitung. 

“But if that doesn't work, things will get difficult in the world championship. 

“And it's not as if things aren't difficult enough already.”

Red Bull has won twice so far this year, with Verstappen taking victories at Suzuka and Imola.

The energy drink-backed outfit will partake in its home grand prix this weekend in Austria where it hopes to add a fifth win around the Red Bull Ring.

“Max Verstappen has won here four times; the track suits him,” Marko outlined. 

“The tyres are crucial; we're not the only ones struggling; everyone except McLaren is struggling.”

Although Marko sees Red Bull's gap to McLaren as three-tenths of a second, the 82-year-old does not view it as an insurmountable deficit.

“We're currently three-tenths behind McLaren, but within a much smaller working window, which makes it even more difficult,” Marko said.

“McLaren is also trying out new things, even though the new front wing didn't work for a long time in practice in Montreal, and Lando Norris was blazing fast in the race before making his mistakes again. 

“So it's not impossible to make up those three tenths. But if so, it has to happen now.”