The Milton Keynes-based team has a clear priority with the RB22: convincing Max Verstappen to remain until the end of his contract. The single-seater designed under the direction of Pierre Waché does not follow the same design philosophy as its main rivals, instead opening up a distinct technical path, with a rather imaginative interpretation of the new regulations aimed at maximising the potential of Red Bull’s in-house power unit.
Red Bull is no longer directly shaped by Adrian Newey, yet the RB22 still appears to develop several concepts closely associated with the “English genius.” Compared to other agile cars ushering in the new Formula 1 era, the machine overseen by Pierre Waché shows a very strong personality, clearly heading in a different direction. A personal, highly distinctive approach that must persuade Max Verstappen to stay loyal to the Milton Keynes squad, resisting any potential interest from Mercedes.
Not a “zero pods” concept
The RB22 represents a clean break from last year’s RB21 and introduces familiar ideas that have been reinterpreted to suit the new regulations. Some observers have labelled the new Red Bull as a “zero pods” car, but this interpretation does not fully convince. While it would be ironic to see a solution succeed after failing spectacularly on the Mercedes W13 in 2022, the RB22 does not truly eliminate the sidepods.
Sidepods positioned far from the front wheels
The Milton Keynes team is clearly trying to remain faithful to certain fundamental principles, particularly keeping the front wheels as far away as possible from the sidepods. It is no coincidence that the radiator inlet opens relatively far back. The wing-like profile extending outward serves as the necessary cover for the lateral anti-intrusion cone required by the regulations, while also allowing the mounting of the rear-view mirror.
Power unit dedicated to Dietrich Mateschitz
The inlet is not as extreme as in previous designs, but the impression is that Red Bull did not want to compromise the cooling of the Red Bull Powertrains Ford DM01 power unit. The “DM” designation is a tribute to Dietrich Mateschitz, the team’s founder. Ensuring sufficient cooling is essential to guarantee reliability, although there is scope to intervene during development if the engine designed by Ben Hodgkinson proves as robust as it appeared during the two days of testing and the filming day.
No undercut and unconventional sidepods
One of the most striking features is the absence of an undercut in the lower sidepod area. There is no deep sculpting, yet the sidepod slopes steeply downward before narrowing into the revived Coca-Cola zone. Between the sidepod and the Halo mounting point, there is a domed, descending surface that blends into the engine cover outlet at the rear, as if the “bazooka” exhaust channel has been angled downward. This solution frees up space higher up for the rear wing, allowing it to operate at maximum efficiency, while the cooling outlet itself is impressively large.
A completely new cooling system
With the multi-stage cooling system now abandoned, the entire layout appears to have been redesigned. The 2026 regulations once again allow the use of curved radiator masses, making it possible to significantly compact the overall packaging. As a result, the central radiator mounted above the six-cylinder engine could be less bulky. The airbox retains a traditional shape, with the compressor intake located in the central triangular section and auxiliary systems housed in the lateral half-moon areas.
An alternative solution could involve a heat outlet opening beneath the end of the prominent vertical fin, helping to reduce losses between the two rear wing pylons near the exhaust area.
Push-rod suspension only, with fully profiled arms
The RB22 is proving to be a complex car, developed through a long and detailed process in which the mechanical layout appears to have been placed at the service of aerodynamics. This is particularly evident in the suspension design. Red Bull has opted for a push-rod configuration at both the front and rear.
At the front, there is a return to more traditional, less extreme solutions. The steering arm is positioned ahead of the chassis, overhanging the nose, while the upper wishbone is not excessively inclined in pursuit of anti-dive, which would otherwise limit nose dive under braking. The push-rod and all suspension arms are carefully shaped to fulfil an aerodynamic role.
At the rear, the compression rod is only slightly inclined and sits ahead of the upper wishbone, which could feature a multi-link arrangement on the driveshaft side. The lower wishbone, following recent trends, is offset further forward.
Front wing and aerodynamic details
The front wing used in Barcelona is particularly interesting. The main plane is almost straight, with only a slight downward curvature near the endplate. The endplate itself is innovative, as it twists downward, extending the surface of the first element. The footplate features a curl at its outermost section, which gradually flattens and directs airflow outward. This represents Red Bull’s interpretation of how to recover the outwash effect, with very promising initial results.
Bargeboard with additional flaps
The airflow that moves around the outside of the front wheel then encounters the bargeboard area. The vertical element seen in FIA renderings is absent, replaced instead by a shutter-like structure made up of three overlapping elements. Each of these features a small flap on the outer face. The assembly is supported by two stays: the lower one made of metal, and the upper one in carbon fibre, already profiled to perform an aerodynamic function as well.
Sculpted nose in a basic configuration
The nose almost rests on the front wing and is attached via two pylons. The Milton Keynes team has already tested different versions. On the first day, a variant was seen with two prominent ribs on the upper outer edge to comply with minimum dimension requirements, while the inner section appeared slightly hollowed out. In wet conditions, however, a more basic solution was adopted.
The blown diffuser stands out the most
Finally, attention must be paid to the floor. The trailing edge is already heavily worked, but the most striking feature is undoubtedly the blown diffuser. Mercedes and Ferrari also use similar concepts, but the opening on the Red Bull is unquestionably the largest seen so far.
The RB22 is a car worth watching closely. It is true that in dry conditions it consistently ran on C3 tyres, the softest compound, but even in the wet it immediately showed strong pace, albeit with a car that did not appear easy to control.
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