Red Bull set for major upgrade to counter McLaren at Hungarian GP

In recent races, McLaren have steadily advanced to challenge Red Bull and Max Verstappen on every circuit. This marked a remarkable turnaround for McLaren, as until the Chinese Grand Prix in April, it seemed Red Bull would dominate the season much like they did in 2023.

"To be quite honest, at the beginning of this season the other teams were not as close as we expected," Red Bull's technical director Pierre Wache told De Telegraaf.

"But it seems that the development of, certainly McLaren, and in certain areas also Mercedes, has been successful."

The Spanish Grand Prix had been an ideal moment for teams to introduce updates, given its detailed familiarity and its traditional role as the start of the European season.

However, Red Bull chose not to introduce significant changes then, nor at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, aside from some subtle adjustments to the floor.

"McLaren has taken a giant step forward since the beginning of May, in Miami," Wache acknowledged.

"It is true that the others have moved closer and we have to come up with updates, which can ensure that we regain the lead."

It has been revealed that Red Bull have a major update planned for the next race in Hungary, giving Verstappen a potential advantage in his battle with McLaren and Lando Norris.

The Briton, Norris, was 84 points behind Verstappen in the drivers' standings, while McLaren trailed Red Bull by only 78 points in the constructors' championship.

The Hungarian Grand Prix, set for the weekend of 19-21 July, will be the 13th race of the Formula 1 season. The race will be contested over 70 laps of the 4.381-kilometre Hungaroring in Budapest on Sunday, July 21.

As the season has progressed in the last few races, the rivalry between Red Bull and McLaren has intensified, making every update and strategy crucial. Red Bull's upcoming upgrades are anticipated to play a pivotal role in maintaining their lead and fending off the resurgent McLaren team.