Red Bull finds no magic in Austrian upgrades

It was meant to be a showcase at home, but Friday in Austria proved to be a headache for Red Bull. Despite bringing a significant upgrade package—featuring changes to the floor and rear suspension—the car is not feeling like the revolution they might have hoped for. In fact, Isack Hadjar was blunt about the situation, stating, "It’s not a completely different car, to be honest. It feels like the usual."

The day was hampered by mechanical gremlins, with Max Verstappen suffering a pit lane stop in FP1 and a seat issue later on, while Hadjar was restricted to just 11 laps in the opening session due to car trouble. Both drivers faced a baffling lack of grip at Turn 3, a section of the track where the team usually excels. Hadjar, the 21-year-old, finished FP2 in P7, while Verstappen logged a P4 finish in both sessions.

Technical Director Pierre Wache admitted the transition has been difficult, noting that such extensive changes inevitably bring complications. However, he remains optimistic, insisting the "potential is there" and pointing to promising long-run pace compared to Barcelona. Whether they can bridge the gap to Mercedes and Ferrari remains the big question heading into Saturday; for now, as Hadjar puts it, the team simply needs to "get it sorted."