Red Bull branded ‘biggest threat’ to Mercedes as F1 recovery gathers pace

Sky Sports F1 commentator Anthony Davidson has labelled Red Bull as the biggest threat to Mercedes following strong practice showings at the Sepang International Circuit. Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar finished second and third in final practice behind Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli, while George Russell took fourth. This follows an impressive run in Baku, where Verstappen finished runner-up to Russell.

Red Bull sits fourth in the constructors' standings and remains winless this season, but team principal Laurent Mekies highlighted substantial progress with the RB22 car. Verstappen, chasing his first victory of 2026, expressed determination to secure a grand prix win before the campaign concludes.