The numbers don't lie. Red Bull's 2026 power unit, co-developed with Ford Motorsport under a $1 billion partnership, is producing 15 horsepower less than the Mercedes benchmark on the Suzuka straights.

Data from DRS activation zones shows Verstappen losing 0.6–0.7 seconds per lap on power circuits — a deficit that turns chassis genius into survival mode in the high-speed sections. The Red Bull chassis, still arguably the best in the paddock, keeps Max competitive through the technical sectors.

Miami's tight, sweeping layout around Hard Rock Stadium could finally present the canvas he needs. But Miami also has three DRS zones. Ferrari and Mercedes will be quick in a straight line again. The question is whether 57 laps of tactical genius can overcome 15 missing horsepower.

GM's arrival in Formula 1 was never about winning in year one. Team principal Graeme Lowdon is clear-eyed: 2026 is infrastructure, 2027 is data, 2028 is development, and 2029 is when they start fighting for points.

Callum Ilott and Marcus Armstrong share driving duties under a Ferrari power unit supply agreement running through 2028, at which point an in-house Cadillac PU — being developed at GM's Performance and Racing centre in Michigan — is expected to arrive.

"We've finished every race," Lowdon noted after three rounds. "In any business, building a foundation means showing up and completing the job." Zero points. Exactly where they expected to be.