Red Bull says Verstappen losing 'serious lap time' to car degradation
Laurent Mekies acknowledged Verstappen's repeated complaints about inconsistent performance and said Red Bull are working on a complex degradation problem that could take time to resolve.
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Red Bull acknowledges an element of car performance degradation affecting lap times.
Mekies described the issue as "complex" and confirmed it is not a new problem.
He refused to detail technical specifics or immediate remedies.
Red Bull are making incremental steps and have seen some positive signs in Madrid.
Mekies warned there is no quick fix and a comprehensive solution may take until next season.
The team is prioritising investigation but will not disclose detailed plans.
Mekies said the issue costs "serious lap time," impacting race pace and consistency.
Persistent degradation limits Verstappen's ability to fight the front-running cars.
A long-term unresolved problem would influence Red Bull's prospects for 2027 and beyond.