Red Bull narrowly defended after difficult new F1 chapter start

Red Bull's first campaign as a bona fide engine manufacturer has been, by their own lofty standards, a humbling experience. Fourth in the constructors' standings with 177 points, zero wins, and a best result of second place for Max Verstappen in Austria and Hungary, the six-time constructors' champions have looked a shadow of the dominant force they were not so long ago.

When we asked RacingNews365 readers whether Red Bull should be doing better this season, the response was almost perfectly split: 51.4% said no, while 48.6% said yes. It is a telling divide, one that captures the two sides of this debate neatly.

Those in the 'no' camp have a reasonable argument. This is the first year Red Bull has raced with a fully in-house power unit, the Red Bull Ford DM01, following years of reliance on Honda hardware.

Team principal Laurent Mekies warned before the season that expecting to match established engine manufacturers from day one "would be naive," and that there would be "a fair amount of struggles, headaches, sleepless nights." 

In that context, four podiums and a clear upward trajectory, Verstappen has been on the rostrum in four of the last seven grands prix, can be viewed as credible progress.

Yet the 48% who want more have a point, too. This is still a team built around a four-time world champion, operating from one of the finest facilities in the sport, and sitting 202 points behind championship leaders Mercedes. 

Five DNFs across 11 races is a stark figure, and Verstappen himself has not minced words, describing the season as "very tough" and acknowledging that Red Bull "want to win" and "want to dominate," rather than simply collect the occasional podium.

The truth, as the poll suggests, lies somewhere in between. The foundations of the manufacturer project are laid; the question is how quickly Red Bull can build upon them.