Max Verstappen heads to Miami with upgraded Red Bull RB22 aiming to close gap to top teams. Max Verstappen heads into the Miami Grand Prix with a heavily updated Red Bull RB22.

The Dutch driver hopes that the upgrades will make the RB22 more competitive

Is Red Bull also dancing the Macarena?

Among the disappointments of the early stages of the 2026 Formula 1 season, Red Bull must certainly be included. The Milton Keynes-based team, apart from the brief highlight provided by Isack Hadjar in qualifying in Melbourne, when the French driver secured the third fastest time behind the Mercedes cars, has never seriously entered the fight at the front of the field. The mere 16 points collected so far are a clear indication of a lack of competitiveness that cannot even be fully attributed to the new power unit.

The RB22 was both overweight and not competitive enough in terms of mechanical grip and aerodynamic efficiency. For the Miami Grand Prix, the car will arrive in a heavily revised specification, significantly lighter — according to estimates reported by De Telegraaf, the excess weight has been reduced from 12 kilograms down to around 6–7 kilograms — and there is also the possibility that a Red Bull interpretation of Ferrari’s so-called “Macarena” rear wing could make its debut.

Max Verstappen is hoping to be much closer to Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren thanks to the updates tested during the filming day at Silverstone.

“The day in Silverstone was a good one, it is always nice to get together with the team ahead of a new race weekend,” the Dutch driver said. “The team has worked hard to understand what we can improve on the car. I am very excited to see what we can do in Miami and I hope we can get a little closer to the top three teams.”

Max Verstappen’s hopes for the Miami Grand Prix therefore rest on a heavily updated Red Bull RB22, which features significant weight reductions and new aerodynamic solutions. Following a disappointing start to 2026, the Milton Keynes team has worked extensively to understand and address the car’s mechanical and weight issues, aiming to bridge the gap to Mercedes, Ferrari, and McLaren. As the season resumes in Florida, the performance of these upgrades will be critical in determining if Red Bull can once again challenge for top positions on the grid.