As widely expected, the forced break in Formula 1 caused by the ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East has given teams the opportunity to organise filming days and private running sessions in order to evaluate the effectiveness of upcoming upgrades. Just two days ago, all attention was on Ferrari, which tested the “evo” version of the SF-26 at Monza. Almost simultaneously, however, other teams such as Haas and Red Bull also took to the track, running the updated RB22 that is set to make its competitive debut in Miami.
This shakedown proved useful for assessing the development package designed to address the shortcomings of a RB22 that has clearly underperformed in the opening three races of the season. A situation that has left Laurent Mekies’ team chasing its rivals, with a gap that—contrary to expectations—stems largely from chassis limitations rather than the power unit.
Plenty of new developments
The power unit produced in Milton Keynes appears to be operating at a level comparable to Mercedes, meaning that the real weak points lie in the chassis and aerodynamic package. As a result, Pierre Waché’s technical group has signed off a significant upgrade package that will debut in Miami, tested during the filming day, and intended to close the performance gap to the competition.
This set of components builds on updates already partially introduced at Suzuka, where elements of the package were visible on Max Verstappen’s Red Bull (also tested by Isack Hadjar during the Pirelli test). First images emerging from the Silverstone test day reveal changes to the front wing, including a revised endplate profile designed to improve airflow efficiency.
Further updates are visible in the engine cover and sidepod area, where the Anglo-Austrian team has introduced major aerodynamic revisions. A new “channel-like” flow structure appears to have been reintroduced in the sidepod area, evoking design concepts seen during previous ground-effect regulation cycles.
Ferrari inspiration
From the images released, it also appears that Red Bull has adopted a small flow diverter on the central pillar of the halo structure, directly mirroring a solution previously used by Ferrari. A similar approach can be seen in the redesigned rear wing, which appears to follow a concept close to Ferrari’s “Macarena” rear wing philosophy, aimed at increasing top speed and compensating for potential power unit disadvantages.
In addition, another key element of the upgrade package is the significant focus on weight reduction for the RB22. It is no secret that Red Bull started the season slightly above the minimum weight threshold, and reducing this excess mass is expected to deliver immediate and measurable performance gains starting from the Miami Grand Prix.
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