Red Bull Racing has shared the first images of its agile new RB22, powered by the Red Bull Ford Powertrains DM01, which will make its track debut at the collective pre-season tests in Barcelona today. Designed under the guidance of technical director Pierre Waché, the car adopts a push-rod suspension layout both front and rear, following the trend seen on most 2026 F1 cars, with the exception of Cadillac and Alpine. Behind the scenes, the car hides many innovative solutions.
Before the start of the Barcelona pre-season testing, Red Bull Racing released the first glimpse of the RB22, marking the team’s entry into the new era of agile F1 cars powered by the Red Bull Ford Powertrains DM01 engine. Milton Keynes is transforming into a global constructor: after winning eight constructors’ titles as a chassis supplier, the team led by Laurent Mekies is now challenging the big manufacturers on all fronts.
The first image of the RB22, which will be driven by Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, reveals a car carefully crafted by Pierre Waché. While the image is cleverly lit to keep some details hidden, it confirms that both front and rear employ push-rod suspension—a clear confirmation of the trend in the 2026 F1 field.
The RB22 is a critically important car for Red Bull, as it must convince Max Verstappen to continue his F1 career with the team that helped him secure four consecutive drivers’ titles. Although Verstappen is under contract with Red Bull until 2028, it is no secret that “Super Max” could explore other options if the in-house power unit fails to meet expectations or shows early reliability issues.
Ben Hodgkinson, technical director at Red Bull Powertrains and formerly of Mercedes, expressed optimism about the engine, highlighting the technical contribution from Ford. The partnership goes beyond financial support, with advanced production solutions using 3D printing that avoid traditional casting or solid machining, following modern manufacturing standards.
The RB22 appears track-ready for its initial functional tests at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. Unlike some other teams, Red Bull will hit the track today to begin collecting crucial data, evaluating on-track reliability. It’s worth noting that the Red Bull Ford Powertrains DM01 engine has already performed exceptionally during the filming day held last week at Imola’s Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit, using the VCARB03 driven by Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad.
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