Red Bull RB22: Isack Hadjar highlights strong standing starts despite reliability doubts. Red Bull faced reliability challenges during the Bahrain F1 tests.

Red Bull reliability still uncertain, but Hadjar reveals RB22 strength: “Standing starts were fun”

The French driver Isack Hadjar took to the track today for both the morning and afternoon sessions, while tomorrow it will be Max Verstappen’s turn behind the wheel of the RB22.

Still facing problems

It was far from an ideal Wednesday for Red Bull in Bahrain. The Milton Keynes team, which fielded only Isack Hadjar for the full day, once again experienced technical difficulties during the morning session. These issues limited the French driver to just 13 laps before the lunch break. Thankfully, in the afternoon, the RB22 showed a more solid performance, allowing Isack Hadjar to recover some of the lost mileage and finish the first day with a total of 66 laps, as well as the sixth-fastest overall time of the day.

“We had a slow start to the day, with low mileage in the morning after losing pressure in one of the cooling circuits,” explained the Red Bull newcomer, who joined the team this year after making his debut last year with Racing Bulls. “So, just like last week, we made the most of the afternoon with a very packed program, and I already feel better than I did last week with the car.”

Standing starts show promise

Even between the lines, Isack Hadjar also hinted at what could be a key strength of the new RB22: standing starts. During the simulation performed at the end of the session, it was noticeable how the #6 car performed compared to rival cars. “The standing starts were really fun, and hopefully, we can keep the same momentum in Melbourne,” commented the French driver. “For my part, compared to last week, I have a better understanding of the car’s balance, so I’m very happy. There are still many things to improve, but I’m excited to face the third day knowing that tomorrow Max will drive and that there will be even more to learn and put into practice.”

In summary, while Red Bull continues to face reliability question marks after cooling failures limited Isack Hadjar’s morning run, the team appears to have found a clear strength in the RB22’s standing start capabilities as they prepare for the Australian Grand Prix.