Racing Bulls have received encouraging early feedback from the new cooling package introduced at the Belgian Grand Prix, with the team confirming that the revised design is delivering the additional downforce expected in simulation. Arvid Lindblad has received the complete package on his VCARB 03 at Spa-Francorchamps, while Liam Lawson is running several, but not all, of the latest components.
The Faenza-based team arrive in Belgium enjoying a strong phase of the 2026 season and are closing on Alpine in the battle for fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship. Racing Bulls hope the Spa update will help them strengthen that recovery and move ahead of their French rivals.
Arvid Lindblad receives Racing Bulls’ full cooling package
Racing Bulls have introduced updates for both the VCARB 03 cars driven by Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad, but production constraints prevented the team from manufacturing enough of every new component for both cars in time. Rather than directly choosing one driver to receive the full specification, the team agreed that the package would go to whichever driver finished ahead in qualifying at Silverstone.
Both drivers accepted that arrangement, and Arvid Lindblad earned the full upgrade after qualifying ninth, one position ahead of Liam Lawson. Racing Bulls could have postponed the introduction for another race, but instead opted to bring the parts to Spa as soon as possible to begin evaluating them in track conditions.
Alan Permane explained that both cars had received a significant update, although Arvid Lindblad had an additional revised cooling package. He said the system was working very well and still offered room for improvement, while noting that the team remained broadly in its usual position towards the lower end of the top 10.
Smaller air intake and revised bodywork add downforce
Alan Permane explained that Arvid Lindblad’s VCARB 03 now differs visibly from Liam Lawson’s car. The air intake above the roll hoop, which supplies air not only to the engine but also to several other systems, has been reduced in size on Arvid Lindblad’s car.
The full package also includes redesigned sidepods and revised bodywork. Alan Permane confirmed that the changes form a new cooling package which brings an increase in aerodynamic load as well as its cooling-related function. The team’s strong straight-line speed has allowed it to pursue that downforce gain.
The Spa weekend has already brought several development stories across the grid, including the possibility that Red Bull could move away from its Macarena rear wing after recent problems. Racing Bulls, by contrast, have reported that their new parts are matching the expectations established before the event.
Racing Bulls target better soft-tyre performance
Alan Permane said the VCARB 03 had been performing extremely well on the medium compound, but not quite as effectively on the soft tyre. He explained that the team would focus its work on extracting more performance from the soft compound ahead of qualifying.
Both Racing Bulls cars have received a new rear wing and updated front brake ducts, which Alan Permane described as a good step forward. However, only Arvid Lindblad has the revised power-unit cooling package, creating an opportunity for the team to compare the two specifications directly over the Belgian Grand Prix weekend.
Alan Permane said the updates fitted to both cars were operating exactly as expected. He added that the correlation between factory data and the measurements taken on track had made the team’s work considerably easier, because it allowed Racing Bulls to validate its predictions against real circuit conditions.
According to Alan Permane, the team had identified a small performance difference between the two cars, although he declined to reveal its precise value. He stressed that the gain was not substantial around a circuit as long as Spa-Francorchamps, but confirmed that it was present.
The findings will be valuable as Racing Bulls continue to develop the VCARB 03 through the season. Spa’s long straights and high-speed corners make it a useful venue for assessing the balance between cooling efficiency, drag and downforce, while other teams are also using the event to evaluate important aerodynamic changes, including Mercedes’ major Spa aerodynamic update.
For Racing Bulls, the priority is now to convert the positive early correlation into a stronger qualifying performance, especially on the soft tyres. If the team can do so, Arvid Lindblad’s full package and Liam Lawson’s shared upgrades could help sustain its push against Alpine in the Constructors’ Championship.
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